a horse named bear–we were meant to be

Dear Bear

Today Dad and I went horseback riding at the Princeville Rance on the north shore of Kauai. I’ve never been on a horse before, or near one really, so I was very excited! After everyone decided they didn’t want to go to Tagaitai in the Philippines to ride ponies, I was rather disappointed at missing my chance. When we went so many years ago, I got too scared (I was about eight), so I didn’t try it when Dad and Frank went.

However, I’m very glad that Dad decided to go with me this time around!

Oh yeah, I forgot. We were signing release papers or something and one of the ranch hands said, “So, are you two on your honeymoon?”

Oh my goodness.

I stared at her for a second while Dad choked on laughter, and then I said slowly, in a rather horrified voice (because I was feeling quite horrified), “No. He’s my dad.” Pointblank in a dead voice.

Dad laughed and the other ranch hand laughed. The other hand said, “Haha! Did you see the look on her face?” And then she mimicked me and I thought, Yes, that’s a very fitting expression.

Anyway.

My horse’s name was Bear! It was really just meant to be I think. When our guide lead me over to Bear, told me his name, and then told me to mount up, I thought: Bear Grylls and Grizzly Bears! Bears are my favorite animals, and I also <3 Bear Grylls from Man vs. Wild! Bear was brown with a black mane with brown highlights, and he was built pretty big–larger than Dad’s horse, and looked tough…also had a bit of an attitude. I was essentially just a passenger and he the driver as he didn’t really follow my orders, but that was just fine because I liked him quite a lot.

Dad’s horse’s name was Walker and he was a black/gray and white speckled horsey who was very calm and sweet.

Bear and Walker were friends and nuzzled one another’s faces when we took pictures by the cliff.

Bear also had to pee a lot. I didn’t realize he was doing so the first time because we were listening to Robin’s (Robin was our guide) instructions, but I heard a faint hissing sound and when I looked down, there was a huge puddle under Bear. What a silly horse!

Robin told us a lot about the Kauai mountains, showed us where parts of Jurassic Park were filmed, told us Michael Crichton lives nearby (COOL–I just read Next ; he’s one of my favorites because he writes about science and has scientific explanations :oD ), and told us about some of the families who own a bunch of the property in Kauai. Some of these people bought some properties just so people could not build on them so as to preserve the land. Very decent, no?

Robin also picked us strawberry guavas, small, cherry-sized guavas with lots of seeds that were very tasty and yummy.

Now we’re going snorkeling in Tunnels Beach on the north shore where sea turtles are apparently prevalent. Yay! Very excited :o)

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Sea Turtles

So there were many turtles indeed at Tunnels Beach. They seem like such peaceful creatures. I think I would like to be a turtle. Plus, they’re pretty and rather graceful as they swim and munch.

The first school of fish I saw were right on the surface of the water and they were tiny and silver. Very skittish too. There were also a ton in rather large groups eating from the coral reefs, and some little plant/coral thing littered the reefs and looked like brains. We also saw a bunch of fish that looked like baby barracudas, and we also saw some needle-looking fish with sharp tails and rounded noses.

I loved the turtles so much though.

We plan to go back tomorrow to snorkel some more, swim, and picnic.

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Kayaking

I forgot to mention that on Saturday we went kayaking to the bay. It’s so gorgeous. Frank and I paired up and Mom and Dad paired up. W kayaked to the bay, waded, took pictures, enjoyed the view, and then kayaked back. Frankie and I were very much in sync.

I love kayaking so much. I wanted to go for longer, but Frank doesn’t like doing stuff and the parents got tired. I wanted to do the long kayak trip to the Fern Grotto, but again, the parents were tired just thinking about it. Ah well.

Tonight we’re grilling steaks by the pool :o)

Instead of the Fern Grotto kayak trip, we may take a boat over there instead. The last time we did that, Frank and I were so small that I don’t remember it really.

.

Aloha!

 

so many beaches! + mild hilariousness

Aloha!

So far we’ve been perfecting our relaxation technique.

We went back to Secret Beach on Kalihiwai Road for a bit, and yesterday we went on a hike to the Pools of Mokolea for a short but sweet shorline hike with lots of lavapools. It turns out that that was a beach we’d been to before, the first one we thought we were going to on our first day out!

We hiked up and climbed some rocks to see the gorgeous panoramic view of the river and the sea, and the bay area between which we had to wade across to get to the hiking part. The water was very warm and calm on the river side, because it was the end point, but the sea on the other side was raging. Yesterday was a very big wave day around the island with waves as high as 5-7 feet in some areas.

That night we ate in a little Chinese hole-in-the-wall and then went to a bar/cafe to listen to a live acoustic guitar player sing great songs and have drinks.

Today Dad and I may go horseback riding and then get Mom and Frankie and go snorkeling in Tunnels or Ke’e on the north shore, which is apparently the best shore dive on the island with lots of turtles, reef sharks, lava tubes, caves and nice underwater relief, according to our very wondrous Kauai guidebook. This is the best book ever. It’s called The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook, Kauai Revealed.

:o)

K, bye!

+++

Some mild brunch/linner hilariousness ensued over omelets and toast.

DAD: My camcorder broke. Stupid.

FAMILY: Aw, we’re sorry!

DAD: And I was going to tape while we were kayaking!

FAMILY: Oh, boo!

DAD: It’s like when I got a flat tire in Edsa (in the Philippins). I was like, ‘Really. Why would this happen to me?’

Looks so utterly despondent that it’s quite funny. Mom spit up a bit because she couldn’t contain her laughter.

MOM: (placating) Sometimes bad things happen.

DAD: If I stood on the balcony, I’d probably fall over.

MIKA: It’s ok, Mom’s camera can take video!

DAD: No, that’s ugly. The camcorder was HD.

FAMILY laughs.

DAD: When we go kayaking, my kayak will probably tip over. Pause. My omelet doesn’t have any bacon. Sad face. Looks at Frank’s omelet when Frank gets up, spears a tomato with his fork and makes a face at Frank’s back.

Oh, dear, dear family. Frank wore his sunglasses at breakfast. It was quite funny–I was laughing a bit and kind of choking, but I can’t tell if he noticed or not because I couldn’t see his eyes.

 

12 bug bites and counting or, i love kauai

day 1 in kauai and counting = 12 bug bites in kauai and counting

eight days to go

After a full day of traveling and no sleep, I passed out early and woke up late today. It’s been wonderful. We ate a full breakfast that mom cooked, including my long-awaited pancakes, and it was bliss. Then we headed to Secret Beach (that’s it’s real name!) down a very Hawaiian-named street, Kalihiwai Road, excited to go back to a beach we thought we’d been to before.

dad and mom :o)

well worth the hike

sorry about the timestamp

whoo! action shot!

However, it turned out to be different. It did include a bit of a hike, but not the easy one we remembered. This one was rather arduous, but a great workout, though it did put a strain on my very weak knees. The beach was empty and gorgeous, had a very deep and wide shore and was in the shape of a bay area. To one side we could see cliffs and the lighthouse, and to the other we could see solid, black lava pools and a couple of pretty homes nestled into yet more cliffs.

We stayed for a bit: Dad and Frankie swam and body-surfed, my swimsuit wasn’t clean so I decided to wait until tomorrow to frolic in the ocean, Mom read, and then we walked around the lava pits. Not too impressive, but nice to look at–like black coral on the beach, enough of it to make it look like a bit of a stage, an uneven, sponge like one as there were pock marks all over the frozen lava.

We didn’t stay long as Frank got bored and wanted to go back to the condo. On the hike back up, Mom and Dad struggled, and Mom and I were eaten alive by mosquitoes. My legs make me look like I have a birth defect. When I get bug bites, they turn into hives, huge, round, Australia-shaped hives, and these ones had Dad worried for my life.

Tonight we’re grilling ahi, mushrooms and kilbasa sausages, and then we’ll go into town to get halo-halo, a Hawaiian dessert that we’re hoping is much like its Filipino namesake, and we’ll go listen to music somewhere I think, then come back, have drinks and play a board game that Frankie likes.

I forgot to describe the condo! It’s in the same area as the one we stayed in two years ago, but this one has three bedrooms, each with their own bathrooms, and Frank’s room has two twin beds. I nabbed the one with the full bed and am loving it. The beds have therapeutic matresses, which makes sleeping like heaven, and the condo has ac and a wondrous balcony on which the rents will grill tonight.

I love Kauai and wish I could live here. I wouldn’t mind not having money because money’s not so important here. Well, unless you want to live in a pretty community and a gorgeous home, but the island itself is so gorgeous that there would really be no need to live anywhere.

We stopped by one beach that we struck off the list because there were better ones around, but beside this beach was a campground with a bunch of tents where people were staying, and when I saw it, I thought it would be a lovely place to take a vacation after college for a while. That would require money, however, of which I have none.

Anyway, I’ve decided that Kauai is my favorite place on Earth, including all the places I traveled to while studying abroad. I love the sense of relaxation and no worries that we were positively bombarded with once stepping off the plane. I love the laid-back fashion style and lifestyle. I love the weather, hot, but survivable, and it’s gorgeous year-round. At night it’s cool and beautiful. The environment seals the deal because it’s the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen in my life, and every year we come here I’m always amazed over and over again, and each and every morning when we step outside.

And even if I should turn as black and wrinkled as a prune from being outside and playing and relaxing all day with a deformed body from all the mosquito bites (Note: the count has been upped to 13 since I began this post), I never want to leave.

 

i am much less afraid to remember than i am to forget

Raves

I was reading something today and a quote struck me as awfully insightful:

“I am much less afraid to remember than I am to forget.”

I guess that is much like what this blog is like for me–I knew my time abroad would be something amazing, something completely different from anything I’ve ever done, possibly life-changing. Studying abroad in Sheffield, traveling around Europe and getting to know everyone in the Annexe was more of everything than I imagined and definitely life-changing.

And after reading this quote I realized that I tend to write things down because I have a horrible memory. Ever since they made us use planners in elementary school my planner has been my best friend. I rely on it perhaps more than on my friends. In it I prioritize the things I need to do, the things I need, and basically everything that ever needs to be remembered. Later I do those things, get those things, or place those things I need to remember in places where I won’t forget them.

I like to write, usually short stories and I’d love to write a book or something, but my attention span is not long and I get frustrated easily, so I’ve told Jon that he must write a book so that I may live vicariously through him. Anyway, I have a Tidbits file on my computer where I write little tidbits (tidbits=anywhere from one sentence to a couple of pages or and idea, a plot, a description or a characterization) all together in one document so that I may remember them and go back to them. Usually I can regain that idea or feeling I have about whatever story or character that hits me all of a sudden by a tidbit to expand on, though sometimes even writing it down doesn’t bring it back entirely.

Anyway, this is all relevant to the blog because it’s the details that I can never remember. I do actually have a working memory, but the clarity with which I remember things is not often all there. I like to remember the details, the little thigns that people do and say, not just the general overall-ness of an event, but also what I was feeling, how people reacted, etc.

And I hope I’ve conveyed enough of that in some of these posts to remember them in the future with the same wonder that I experienced them with.

It’s the little things, isn’t it?

++++

We’re leaving the Philippines tomorrow morning at about 4:30am for Kauai. It’s a horrible trip ahead of us. 7.5hr plane ride to Narita, Japan. 8hr layover in Narita. 4hr plane ride to Honolulu. 30min plane ride to Kauaii.

A bit of a full day head of us again.

Anyway, nothing much has happened since the last post. More shopping…though I haven’t really bought much. Less eating–I think mother and I are pretty sick of food…who’d have THOUGHT?! Seriously, I don’t even crave anything. That is a very rare thing.

..

Fish eyes, black eggs, and shark’s fin dinner

Last night we went to eat dinner with relatives I barely recognized and couldn’t put names to, really, and they ordered a bunch of food. The ‘kids’ were set at an adjacent table and we were all very wary of each dish that came every so often-it was a set course meal with several dishes.

Anyway, to show you why we were wary, here’s a list of some of the ingredients of some of them: jellyfish, shark’s fin, fish eyes, fungi (weird stuff because I even like mushrooms, but this stuff was scary and unchewable), seaweed and black eggs. I’m not a prejudiced eater or even that picky–I’m rather adventurous! But I could not touch any of that.

Then, FINALLY, a chicken dish came out.

MIKA: Thank, GOD. I’m starving!

Begins serving herself.

TITO JONDI turns around from other table.

TITO JONDI: Oh, that’s pigeon.

KIDS’ TABLE: Say WHAT, man?

TITO JONDI: I kid you not. Haha, forgive the pun.

MIKA: I haven’t seen one pigeon in this entire country EVER. And I’ve been coming here since I was little!

TITO JONDI: Yes, well apparently pigeons rule the earth, and Filipinos eat them.

MIKA: Are you sure that the Filipinos didn’t get confused? I didn’t think pigeons were edible.

FRANKIE: I didn’t think jelly fish or fish eyes were edible either.

BEA: I still don’t.

TITO JONDI: Well, it looks like pigeon–look at it’s head.

KIDS’ TABLE: Let’s not.

KIDS ask waiter to take the pigeon away.

TITO JONDI: The adults are trying it. We’re more adventurous than you are!

KIDS: You’re also old and senile. Enjoy.

They didn’t, but it was funny to watch. Later, however, upon recounting the tale to Dad who hadn’t been present (as he’d been out drinking and partying with his rowdy group of old friends instead), Frankie and I were gagging and laughing, and then Mom suddenly said, “That was PIGEON?!” That was quite hilarious.

Though, come to think of it, perhaps that’s why she’s had less of an appetite all today. Who knows?

I suppose being in the Philippines has yet again been somewhat of an adventure, though I’m glad to have been less adventurous in regards to things such as pigeon dishes and other frightening legit-Chinese dishes.

Anyway, I’ve got to go get ready for bed. ‘Night!

 

kill or be killed: tips on how to drive in the philippines

According to my dad, there are three types of drivers:

1) the passive driver: one who lets people drive all over them

2) the defensive driver: one who anticipates the stupidity of others on the road and drives accordingly

3) the aggressive driver: one who cuts people off and basically drives as if they are filled with road rage with a baseball bat in the passenger’s seat.

I would say that my dad is somewhere between defensive and aggressive, and here in the Philippines, I would say he leans more toward aggressive. But he has to lean that way, otherwise we would stall in the middle of the highway, being fender-bendered until my uncle’s car became just a hunk of metal (blue).

It’s safe to say that drivers here are stupid–stupid to the point of murdering or being murdered. Thus, Dad’s tip of the trip is: “Kill or be killed.” His words, not mine.

People here do not let anyone turn ahead of them, do not let people merge, do not stay within the confines of the lanes, do not drive in the right direction, do not park in parking spaces, do not consider other cars as un-hittable, and do not abide by any existing driving rules or laws.

It also doesn’t help that the policemen and other authority figures are corrupt, as is the government. Instead of paying a fine and/or getting one’s license revoked, policemen will take a bribe–actually, it’s considered a norm to pay off the police rather than be punished by the law. Someone, and I shall not say who, recently got caught and pulled over.

HE-WHO-SHALL-NOT-BE-NAMED: Oh, darn, I’m caught.

POLICEMAN: Yes, sir, I have caught you. Ahem.

HE-WHO-SHALL-NOT-BE-NAMED: Oh! Oh right.

Pulls out wallet and pushes 500 pesos toward POLICEMAN.

POLICEMAN: Sir! Looks around aggitatedly. Not in broad daylight, sir!

HE-WHO-SHALL-NOT-BE-NAMED: Oh! Haha–I see.

POLICEMAN’ gives pouch and gives it to HE-WHO-SHALL-NOT-BE-NAMED who then sticks bill in it.

POLICEMAN: There we go. Thank you, sir.

HE-WHO-SHALL-NOT-BE-NAMED: Oh no, thank you.

Drives off.

There have been times when we have almost run over tricycles or been run over by a jeepney.

Above: Filipino tricycle–almost like a cab. They have these everywhere. Below: Jeepney–main form of public transportation; takes the place of buses.

It’s all very exciting and sometimes like riding a roller coaster. As a passenger in car in the Philippines, you experience many quick turns, immediate stops, lots of swerving, and the ride inevitably comes with many sound effects: honking, swearing, and the occasional slap on the hood of the car by a furious pedestrian.

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Primped and pampered, the immense gap between classes

Our time here has not been filled with mere brushes of death, but also with lots of pampering.

We got massages and manicures and pedicures. It was almost like being in a car wash in which you are the car and many different women are the different types of washer: hands with one lady, feet with another for the manicure and pedicure. The massage was wonderful and a bit odd, but very relaxing and soothing. The entire spa was a nice place filled with yoga-like music and earthy colors, lots of mini-waterfalls and fountains, and wonderful scents.

We’ve been staying in my aunt and uncle’s house–my aunt is pretty well off and has a nice little mansion (it’s a mini-mansion). Tita Lorna lives half her life in Singapore where she works, and pretty much commutes from home to work every few weeks. My cousin Sam (Samantha) is five years old and the most adorable, young adult child ever.

Silly Dad and Sam

The household has two maids, Minda and Sally, to maintain the home and to cook and serve food. They are basically like a hotel-service, they’re so good! They make breakfast for us every day, and when we don’t go out for lunch and dinner, they make that too. They also get us water and stuff and cut mangoes for me, which makes me love them. They’ve been with my aunt ever since I can remember. Bobet is Sam’s nanny. She basically is Sam’s shadow–she does everything with her and all three maids live here in the home in the maid’s quarters. Bobet is always with Sam–while Sam is in pre-school, Bobet sits in the school until the kid is let out (school goes from 11am to 2pm).

Isn’t that crazy?! But that’s how it is here.

There is an immense gap between the classes here. There are people who are so incredibly, disgustingly rich, and then there are people who are so horribly poor. When I look outside as we drive to places, there are many shanty-towns with so many poor people. In the evenings and at night, little kids walk around with flower necklaces, peering into windows and trying to sell them to people in cars that stop at traffic lights or in traffic.

Also, the service here is incredible. Waiters and waitresses, gate-guards, maids, shop-keepers, sales associates in clothing and other stores are super accommodating, friendly, and helpful. It’s a bit weird, and most people here take it for granted if they have money, because that’s just how things are done. Everyone also wears uniforms when they go to school, but there is also no law that makes children go to school.

There is an incredible amount of traffic here as well. However, as gas is about 6-7 US dollars here, fewer people drive. Also, they have a system in which people with license plates ending with a certain number cannot drive one day out of each week. For example, 0-1 cannot drive on Mondays, 2-3 cannot drive on Tuesdays, etc. This is the one law that people abide by because the repercussions are very strict.

++++

We also went to watch Side A, a famous Filipino band from a few years ago, in a night club. It was so great because I grew up listening to their music!

Dad, Mom and I watching Side A at the nightclub.

Last night Frank (18) and I went out with our cousins who are also visiting. They grew up and lived here until about…let’s say eight or so years ago. They are Nicky (20, turning 21; my age!), Bea (16), Bella (Ysabella, 11), and Marco (5). We went out with them and their cousin Carisa (23?) and saw a bit of the Filipino night life and clubs around Manila. It was neat! There are really nice places everywhere and, as I mentioned earlier, the service is superb. The first place we went to showed us to a balcony area where we were seated outside and waited on for drinks. That was cool :o) The view of the city from there was phenomenal and gorgeous. The weather wasn’t too hot or humid, and the breeze was cool, so it was just perfect. We got a few martinis, then headed on to another club where we drank beers and had shots! Yum, Petron tequilla!

Then we went back to Carisa’s house where our parents picked us up.

++++

Other than that, all we do is eat delicious food. They have the most amazing food here! Lots of Asian food, which is Dad’s heaven. We eat tons of Filipino food, and a bit of Chinese. There are so many Filipino foods to eat though, but I’m getting a bit sick of it all. However, we get there and it’s time to eat and it just looks so good that I can’t stop myself.

The deserts are so good too! I always drink mango shakes because mangoes are my favorite things on Earth, and we get sago’t gulaman (which is a dessert drink), and halo halo, which is like the Korean bing-soo that Hannah takes me to get at the Korean bakery. I like the Filipino version better ;oD

We go around the mall a lot, watch movies (Hancock and Wanted, great movies, very exiting!), shop, etc. It’s nice to walk around and people-watch and get watched (though that’s awkward sometimes). Frank was very paranoid at first; he hated how people stared and worried that we would get kidnapped. It’s a viable fear, yet so funny to see him so worried all the time!

Frank + concern/worry = cranky-pants.

We went to the Greenhills tiangge, which is a large market or bazaar. They sell everything there and it’s fun to walk around and see all the cool stuff.

Greenhills tiangge

We also went to eat at The House of Mini’s, the restaurant of my mom’s family. They created the restaurant and all my mom’s family, including my brother and I, own a small part of it. It’s become a franchise around the Philippines and is known for their steaks. It’s tradition for us to eat there whenever we come to visit, and we set a lunch date with my mom’s cousin who owns the one nearby along with my visiting cousins. Yum! Delicious ripe mango shakes here.

++++

That’s all I can remember right now. No Boracay Island trip or Singapore trip this time. :o( However, we leave the Philippines for Kauai, Hawaii on Tuesday!

Tomorrow we’re staying at Somerset hotel in Makati city because my parents have a dinner and night out planned with some family, and it’s too far away for Dad to drive buzzed so we’re staying in a hotel. It’s really nice too! We had time to kill today and went to go see if it was nice and it was suPERB! So I’m very excited. It’ll be like we’re tourists for the weekend!

++++

Sige (goodbye in Filipino)!!

:oD

 

looking forward to that 13 hour plane ride

So I haven’t written for a long time again. Oops!

This that have happened: Michael Franks concert with the family + Hannah, been a lazy bum, have been nagged at incessantly about losing weight, visited Blacksburg and Tech while taking Frankie to and from his Radford orientation numerous times…not much to speak of really. 

I’m currently sitting in gate B23 in Dulles Airport. Frank is passed out holding his book open to page eight, mom is wandering around trying to find information, and our flight to Detroit is delayed.

Here’s our flight itinerary:

Washington-Dulles to Detroit = 1.5hrs

Detroit to Nagoya, Japan = 13.5hrs

Nagoya, Japan to Manila, Philippines = 4.05hrs

Whoo. I dread it SO much. I get restless and cramped, uncomfortable and cranky, and it’s not fun when Frankie is the king of crabbiness himself. He’s been going out every night drinking and not sleeping much, and this morning he wakes up snapping at everyone and saying that he feels sick. Go figure. Now we’re the ones that have to deal with his cranky self on these awful plane rides. It’s sure to make a memorable trip. Perhaps not so memorable for Frankie though, if he continues to be annoying because I’ll punch him and knock him out.

Anyway, I’m very excited to go to the Philippines though! We’ll be there for nine days. Our cousins are there so we’re planning on going out at nights to clubs and bars with them, and I hope to go to Tagaitai, the place we went to when we were little with miniature horses/ponies that I was too afraid to ride the first time around. I’m ready this time! Though I admit that I’m still a bit frightened of horse-like animals (ponies, donkeys, whatever–they can kick really hard).

We’re also planning on going to either Singapore, Hong Kong or Bangkok for a couple days.

After that, we head to Kauai, Hawaii! Probably in my top three places in the world. It’s one of the smaller Hawaiian islands that we’ve been going to for the past several years. It’s quieter, quainter and easily navigable. The beaches are gorgeous, and we like to find the hidden ones. This time we want to go on a hike to hidden waterfalls. We also like to go kayaking to the grotto, snorkeling and maybe Dad and I will try surfing, parasailing or scuba diving (or all THREE)! We’ll be there for 10 days and usually just relax before it’s time to head home.

Urgh…so dreading the plane ride from Detroit to Nagoya…

 

i turn all the lights on in the house because it repels evil

All right, so I just watched The Happening with Crummett tonight, and I’m officially frightened of going to bed. First, you should understand that sometimes I do enjoy a scary movie, though not ones with murderers, lunatics, gore, and/or stupidity.

The ones that I like are ones that have ghosts or freaky things like that–they’re the scariest because who really knows what’s out there?

I’m only writing in this post in the hope that it will slightly assuage my fears. At the moment I have Pop and Frankie around to do the job, but when Frankie goes out again and Dad goes to sleep (Mother dearest has long since been conked out from her Zumba workout), I shall be all alone in our house in silence and in the DARK.

I’m a bit afraid of the dark.

So, I turn on all the lights, and sometimes, I’ll admit it, when I go get a midnight glass of water, I sing to myself. On my way downstairs to the kitchen, I flip on every light switch I pass, and sometimes I walk an extra two or three steps to turn on a light switch that is not on the way.

Some say this is an act of waste, an act of irrationality.

I say that it keeps evil away. When the lights are on, then nothing can get me! If I can actually see what’s going to get me, then I can decide to turn on the ‘Denial’ switch. If I can’t see what’s out there, then my imagination will come up with rather horrific things (I have quite the imagination sometimes; usually only when I wish I didn’t), and the option of flipping ‘Denial’ on is completely ruled out because it’s much harder to turn off something that started out in your brain.

It’s like…cracking open a hornet’s nest outside. You can run inside and block out all cracks to the outside. But if you break it inside, well…then you’re screwed! (I suppose you could run outside, but for the sake of the metaphor and the analogy, let’s pretend you can’t.)

But also, I think light kills evil dead.

+++

SPOILER ALERT: do not read past this point unless you’ve watched The Happening or don’t care if it is spoiled for you for all TIME.

—–

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So after watching the movie Birds, I had a fear that the birds would suddenly go wild and crazy and try to kill people just because they outnumber us and they can–this is what I learned from the movie.

After watching The Happening, I now have a strange fear of plants. This is because they have the ability to do so should their morphology change and they evolve in particular ways. At one time (two hours ago), I loved the Peak District and the sounds the wind makes as it rustles through leaves and blades of grass. I loved gardens and open fields, lying in the shade of a humongous tree, the smell of the outdoors (plants and other chlorophyll-filled things).

Well, now I’m afraid that the flora of the world has the power to re-route my neurotransmitters to make me commit suicide.

The movie as a whole was interesting, but the thing that kept me hooked and intrigued was the use of scientific facts to make the frightening phenomenon plausible. I hate scary movies that exist just to scare without any explanation about how it could ever be possible. I like to know that the writers thought things through. I like the plot to be well-rounded.

I’m also a science geek and the talk of neurotransmitters, co-transporters, airborne toxins and plants’ ability to rapidly evolve just made me melt.

MOVIE: Adkslls…plants evolve very rapidly…sdlksdksld…They have no defense against humans or other animals; all they can do is change and adapt very quickly. They evolve.

MIKA: Yes, yes that’s true!

MOVIE: Alskdskld…The CDC believes that the toxin is airborne and disrupts the natural pathways of the brain’s neurotransmitters.

MIKA: Oooh…rational reasons! Scientific ones!

MOVIE: Now instead of directing the body to preserve itself from danger, they are instructing the brain to make people harm themselves.

MIKA: Seriously, you needn’t go on any longer. You had me at ‘neurotransmitters.’ You had me at ‘neurotransmitters!’

So, overall, I did rather enjoy the movie, though it was particularly frightening and also a bit gory, which is why it was understandably rated R.

I screamed in horror at some parts, in fear at others, and at the end I was already dreading going to bed. All in all, I guess it made for an ok movie.

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culture shock and separation anxiety

I’ve heard of getting culture shock when you go somewhere new, but I found it odd that the study abroad people said we may also suffer from this upon coming back home. Now that I’m here and have had the entirety of one day to be a couch potato, I’m bored to death and feel like a bum. And to think, I wanted 1.5 weeks.

I know I haven’t written about Manchester yet, but not much happened. I’ll break it down though:

- We left the Annexe.

- Our cabby was talking on his cell phone at first, and then got another call and put that on speaker-phone. I thought he’d tell whoever it was that he had people in the car, but he didn’t. Instead he asked, “So what’d you do last night?” And the guy started swearing as he told his story and the cabby said, “Watch your language. I have nice students in the car.” Turning to us he said, “University of Sheffield right?” to which we responded, “Yes.” He said, “And these aren’t just Sheffield Hallam students, these are University of Sheffield students!” Hallam is a neighbor college within the same city and is known for students who are less bright.

- We got on a train that was supposed to take us straight to Manchester Airport without changes, but there was something wrong with the train so we had to get off at Man. Picadilly and get on another train to the airport. Funnily enough, this ride reflected our ride to Sheffield.

- We found trolleys to push our luggage. I had trouble and ran into the wall about 10 times. I don’t like those things.

- Got to our hotel and took a short nap.

- Went to use the pool and jacuzzi. Had to pay 2.50 pounds to get in! Nice and relaxing evening :o) On the way out I was talking to Catlett and walked into the men’s locker rooms! I was deaf to the “Excuse me! Excuse me!” of the facility official and apologized profusely when I finally registered where I was. He laughed a bit at that, and I was rather horrified.

- We had dinner in the hotel and it was nice chatting for a while. Then we grouped together and watched a Sex in the City episode, and watched Hannibal. That night there was a wedding reception taking place so we heard the loud music outside–this too reflected our trip to Sheffield! The first night we were in the Grosvenor Hotel, there was a club outside with ridiculously loud music.

- Then we went to sleep and left the next morning. Elizabeth and Whitney ended up being on our plane as Catlett and my plane to JFK was delayed, so they put us on the one to Atlanta. Our flight pattern also reflected our trip to Sheffield (Dulles->Atlanta->Manchester)!

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Home

We finally touched down in Dulles and it was so nice! We saw Catlett’s dad first, and he led us to the rest. It was so weird and wonderful seeing the parents again! They looked good and happy and it was so great! I was a bit disappointed to see that Frank wasn’t with them, but I didn’t think much of it at the time.

We chatted a bit and told a few stories, and then we realized that our bags weren’t coming. We got that settled and they were delivered the next day.

Frank wasn’t home when we got there so we went out to dinner at a Korean place. Yum. I was disappointed in Frankie though for not joining in for Fathers’ Day dinner and for not coming to greet me! He was at a graduation party and called briefly to say so:

MIKA: Hi, Frankie! I missed you!

FRANKIE: I’m not coming to dinner. You’re eating Chinese and…I don’t like Chinese so I’m not coming.

I found that odd, but I was too elated at the moment because I was finally home to care too much. Later, however, we got home and soon after that Frank came over with a few friends. It was nice to see him having friends over, but he said they’d all come over after the graduation party because they’d been bored. Maybe I was/am overreacting or being oversensitive, but if he’d been bored, you’d think he could’ve come home and hung out with the family–I’d been gone for four and a half months and it was Fathers’ Day. I was disappointed in him.

I went upstairs to just lie down and relax away from the still-high-schoolers (gosh, I’m a snob aren’t I–shame on me!), and as I went to get my backpack and bring it up, Frank walked in through the small walkway between the table and the wall and wouldn’t move, so we ran into each other. I thought we were joking around (we probably were kind of) and tried to push through, and he pushed back harder (and WON because he’s bigger and stronger now, damnit!), and said, “Are you kidding me?” And I was so offended and hurt by that somewhat condescending comment and attitude that all I said was, “Are YOU kidding ME?!” and walked away.

I suppose I was a bit tired and sad that he didn’t want to hang out after I’d been gone so long, but I got upstairs, was talking to Stu, and just was really sad! I started crying! Goodness. I swear I must be pregnant. Or it’s that time of the month. Umm…I think I’d prefer the latter.

Anyway, talking to Stu:

MIKA: My brother’s changed! He used to stay at home and watch soccer and play with me! Now he goes to parties and drinks all the time and is never home!

STU: Well, that’s good!

MIKA: Well, I’m glad he has friends, but I also liked being one of them!

STU: Aw, I’m sorry, lady. [He calls me lady, but he doesn't use proper punctuation. I added that myself.] Do you want me to beat him up?

MIKA: Haha, no, but thanks

And his offering, even in jest, was still sort of a blow, because no one had ever had to protect me (physically or emotionally) from my brother before (well, not since we were younger and he used to chuck hard things at me). It was an odd realization, and that made me start crying. I tried to calm myself and so I called Cow because she’s always there. I’d told her she could call me the following day as I wanted to sleep that night, but I wanted to talk to someone. She was nice and said it was probably a phase, she’d had a similar one too (of wanting to go out all the time and not be home), and we talked about the behavioral differences, and then, surprise! — Frank came into the room.

He asked if I’d been crying and of course I said no and said my eyes were still hurting, but he sat down and talked to me a bit:

MIKA: I missed you Frankie! And I’m so proud that you’re graduating tomorrow!

FRANKIE: Yeah, so the girls are fighting.

MIKA: What? Now?

FRANKIE: Over the phone. The other group of girls is mad that we didn’t invite them. They’ve been arguing for about half an hour.

MIKA: Why don’t they just come over then?

FRANKIE: Because they’re girls. If they were guys, we’d just be like, ‘Sorry,’ and they’d say, ‘Ok, see you tomorrow.’ And also, the girls have groups–The Core, The Elite, and two other groups. I used to be in The Core, but I got kicked out because I was the only guy and they wanted it to be all girls.

MIKA:…

FRANKIE: I know, it’s weird.

MIKA: It’s middle school-like.

FRANKIE: I’m not going to lie. I’m popular.

MIKA:…

FRANKIE: Ok well, I’m going back downstairs now.

MIKA: Goodnight.

So…brother-dearest, you’ve changed, and I can’t honestly say for the better. Though I’m glad he does have friends and is going out and stuff, I worry that he’s becoming even more shallow than he already was lol — I admit that he was a bit silly before, kind of a bit callous and a bit of a bully sometimes, but never to me! And I love him because he’s my brother, and I always will, but it never crossed my mind that I might not like the person that he becomes. He’s always been my best friend. We’ve argued a lot–perhaps every single hour of the day since we were little, but that changed when I left for college. We became more civil! And I think this is hitting me even more because it all changed while I was gone–I didn’t get to see the gradual change, which I may never have noticed, but I do notice it, and that’s the problem.

Over the past year he’s gotten more sarcastic and silly–it’s quite hilarious, but I think it’s going over the top. Especially in the way he acts around Mom and Dad, especially Dad as they’ve never had a good relationship once Frankie passed the age of six. He also uses their credit card for everything. We’re supposed to use that card just for gas and groceries, but he uses it to buy food all the time–and he eats every meal out, so it’s really just abusive. He uses his own money on alcohol, and that’s all he buys! Silly boy. They should take away that credit card. It’s going to max out, and I will never be able to get gas with it.

OH YEAH.

And he’s also using my CAR! He put the key on his lanyard and never drives the Honda anymore! My poor car! The Honda used to be mine, but then Frankie needed a car so I got Dad’s and he got mine. He played penny wars with it at school–he and his friends would throw pennies at one anothers’ cars–how HORRIFYING. He says the Honda’s a piece of junk, but it’s an ‘01 Civic with maybe 40,000 miles on it! And it’s nice! Urgh. That makes me scared about what’s happened to my car. I’m going to inspect it tomorrow, granting that he doesn’t steal it.

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Separation anxiety

Since I was young I’ve suffered from a mild case of separation anxiety. I was talking about it with Mom today when I told her I was missing everyone from the Annexe, and she said I’d always been like that. When we used to go to my lola’s (grandma’s) when I was really young, she said I’d burst into tears and walk around blindly with my arms held up, and she’d laugh incredulously saying, “Don’t be silly! I’m not leaving you!”

Because Dad works at the World Bank, we get what’s called ‘Home-Leave.’ It’s a benefit through his bank that lets him take his family to the Philippines every year with an allowance that they give him. They changed it a couple of years ago to every other year, but we’d usually go in January, and we’re going this summer as well.

Anyway, I’d always end up missing three weeks or so of school for this vacation, and whenever we came back, I could never sleep because I’d be up all night crying. Seriously, it’s the oddest and silliest thing ever, but I’d feel just horrible, even with them just a room away, at the thought of leaving them. I’d hate to go to school and be separated after being with my family every single hour of every day for those three weeks! I honestly do understand that there was no reason to feel like I was being pried apart from them by having to go to school, but the thought of it made my insides wrench and it made me sick and scared and sad.

I missed the first few days of pre-school because I couldn’t let go of Mom.

I’m not so bad now.

Going to college was hard–I was homesick toward the beginning, but then it became so much fun. I was also worried about going abroad because of this, but I think I’ve somewhat grown out of it. Though I do find it difficult being away from everyone at the Annexe–I miss them all so much and still remember what it’s like to have those 50 or so people there at all times somewhere nearby. I miss knowing that around 5:30-6:00pm, we’d all slowly trickle out of our rooms to head to The Edge for dinner, and I miss having that to look forward to after a long and boring day. It was a moment of socialization and a break from work or boredom that I had every day.

I miss that, and I miss everyone, and I feel the urge to walk around aimlessly, crying with my arms held up and my eyes shut, wishing all of the people at the Annexe were still around to say, “Don’t be silly, I’m not leaving you!”

But I am, and they have, and gosh, it’s still that hard.

 

bittersweet — this one’s a doozy

It’s10:13pm, eastern time, whaaaaaaaaat? Yup! I’m back in the States again, loving the smell of clean air–not that I ever thought that air here was particularly clean, but in comparison to the walk down Fulwood Road, Sheffield, with a bus passing by every two minutes shooting enough exhaust fumes to blacken a person’s lungs with one inhalation, the air here smells quite nice.

All right, so this post has two main parts (it had four, but it got too long and I got too tired of writing):

1) The last day in the Annexe: Annexe Wellfare (farewell haha) BBQ

2) June 14th, the day everyone got kicked out of the Annexe

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The Annexe Wellfare BBQ: goodbye Manics, so long Poundtown

Steve, our BBQ coordinator and host, created the invite for the BBQ with a wonderfully heart-felt description that seriously brought me close to tears. It was funny because he called it the Annexe Wellfare BBQ, not realizing that he hadn’t written ‘farewell’ — I’d thought it was a joke, but apparently not! It’s endearing now.

Anyway, June 13th was the last day everyone in the Annexe would officially be in Sheffield. June 14th was the day we all had to move out of the Annexe by 10am, and almost everyone was leaving that day, some were staying, some were continuing to travel, but overall, everyone was going on their way and our days as the Manics in the Annexe/Poundtown would be over.

I had finished packing the night before and ended up getting up at around 8:30am because I couldn’t sleep and felt sick still. Additionally, Stephan was leaving at 2:30pm so I wanted to hang out with him as much as possible on that day as well. He came up and hung out in my room while he wrote messages in Heat and Frannie’s journals, then we walked Heat to The Edge, and then continued and went to the union where I wanted to buy a T-shirt and Stephan wanted to find a Sheffield present for his best friend’s girlfriend’s birthday.

I ended up making three separate purchases at the union shop:

- T-shirt

- Lanyard

- Teddy bear

I suppose I’m a bit of an impulse buyer, but mostly it’s that I think I wanted pieces of Sheffield to bring back home. Stephan got his friend a T-shirt.

We got back to the Annexe and I napped for a bit before going outside with some people at around 1:45pm. It was so strange saying bye to Stephan so early! His sister’s graduation was the next day, otherwise he said he’d have wanted to stay longer. As it was, his cab came to get him and because it was the beginning of the BBQ, there was a crowd of perhaps 15 people outside to say goodbye. He hugged every one of us, even Brandon NM who came speed-walking up the Annexe driveway from Somerfield just in time.

Just before he hopped into the cab his parting words were, “I’m going to blitzkrieg the stewardess!” And then he was off. After he left there was an obvious wilting of everyone present, despite the good weather and bright sunshine. He was a favorite.

Soon, however, it began to liven up. The grills were heating, people from Opal 2 wandered over our way, the Annexe kids wrapped up their packing and headed outside, and the clouds (of course, because it’s England and our last day) rolled in. Just as the first round of meat was set on the grills, it began to rain. Holly, Anders and I were sitting on the couch and made a mini-tent with a sleeping bag to keep the rain off, but soon it started to drain through the seams and we were forced to join the others under a canopy of trees in front of the Annexe and in the Annexe itself.

I alternated between watching some of the Euro Cup matches and chatting outside on the couches, which were moved under the canopy.

After we ate and it began to get darker and everyone became drunker…that’s when the real festivities began.

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We thought someone was going to end up in the hospital, or perhaps the graveyard

Fireworks

When it got dark, Steve and Troy wanted to break out the fireworks, but the group was worried about the repercussions of setting them off as they weren’t allowed.

EVERYONE: Someone might get arrested! We might get charged for burning the Annexe down!

TOM: We should burn the Annexe down. It’s shit.

STEVE: If we don’t light these fireworks, the terrorists win!

That pretty much decided it, and we planted them in the ground and lit them in two rounds. There was a huge ring of people around it, cheering, and it was glorious. Everyone’s spirits were lifted, the fireworks were beautiful and shot off into the sky, and to me the sound and sight of the fireworks going off always reminds me of special days at home. Now it will also remind me of our last BBQ on the lawn of the Annexe, everyone crowded around to watch them shoot up into the air, hugs and cheering. Some people started singing the American national anthem, which kind of took away from the experience as it wasn’t about the US (Heather was quite angry about that and tried telling them off, but you can’t stop them singing the anthem once they’ve started of course!), but about the Annexe and all of the international students together. It was still so great though.

Steve, Troy, and the others seemed to be a catalyst in that they set off much more than just fireworks. After the light show was over, then it seemed like everyone was suddenly so much drunker and more excited and hyper and determined to make the night the most memorable one possible.

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Bush #1

Here comes the craziness:

First, Catlett finally fulfilled his desire to go bush jumping. Apparently he’s a pro, and he showed everyone it was true by demonstrating his expertise on two occasions that night. To begin with, he taught Brandon NM and Craig how to properly be a lunging stepping stool to launch him into the bush, and the set-up was that of a cheerleader being prepped for a jump. Heat has pictures of that. He did that a lot and it was pretty terrifying.

He drew quite a crowd–I don’t know if it was the craziness of such a random act, the excitement of a possible death on the last night at Ranmoor, or the fact that everyone was merely drunk and was joining the circle because of the crowd mentality. Anyway, I’d never seen anything like it, and he definitely got some mad air. There were flips and jumps and twirls.

After one jump, there was silence, and then we all heard Catlett’s voice call out of the middle of the humongous bush:

CATLETT: (in a small voice from within the bush) I’m not touching the ground!

And then there was a mad dash of everyone with cameras to the small hole that Brandon and Craig opened up so we could see what had happened and what in the hell Catlett was talking about and if he was still in one piece. There he was, sitting folded in half with his head and his feet pointing up, cradled in branches, not touching the ground just as he’d declared.

Some people thought he was drunk, some perhaps crazy, but I know it was a bit of both and also because he gets hyper because he’s a child.

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Bush #2

Then he decided that the huge pine tree beside the stoop of the Annexe was another bush he wanted to jump into, and flipped into that one twice (he smelled like pine trees afterwards; I suppose that’s one way to smell nice). Because it was surrounded by concrete, he got some genuine worriers (Gazaleh and Martin) to step up and try to talk him out of whatever craziness he was going to attempt next. He did not use Brandon and Craig for this one, which was a blessing, but he decided against using them only after the protests:

CATLETT: Bush number two, here I come!

CROWD: Crazy American!

GAZALEH and MARTIN: Please don’t do it, that’s concrete you’ll fall on. That’s hard stuff!

GARRETT: Catlett, you are a golden god!

CONCRETE: I will eat you when you splatter yourself on me.

MIKA: You’re not the one who’ll have to tell your parents why you didn’t make the flight home! And why you’re in a hospital! Or dead!

CATLETT: Bush number two, here I come!

And he did go. And then he went on to another stunt. Well, a few more.

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The Master-Blaster

Ok, I’d never heard this term until Stu related its meaning to me. First, I’ll explain what it is. It’s from Mad Max (the weird movie with Mel Gibson), and the Master-Blaster consists of two people. There’s a little guy (the brains/Master) sitting on the shoulders of a humongous guy (the brawn/Blaster). All right, so Catlett gets on top of the pedestal at the end of the stoop’s staircase and beckons over to Swedish Anders.

Anders is 6.8 feet tall. Do you see where this is going?

Now, I should also mention that Anders had four bottles of wine, and though there is quite a lot of him height-wise, he’s a rather skinny guy, and he’d eaten only a cup of yogurt and two baby meat-sticks all day. So saying he was drunk is a bit of an understatement. To clarify his state further, he played frisbee not long before this Master-Blaster fiasco and looked like a baby giraffe what with his slipping, sliding and falling over on the wet grass.

So up Catlett goes onto Anders’ shoulders and Anders takes off, walking around, tilting and wobbling and goodness, I swear that CONCRETE was going to get another chance at eating Catlett. And perhaps Anders as well.

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Taking Romeo and Juliet to the next level

This story too involves Catlett. I was chatting with some people and then Heather spins me around and there Catlett is on the balcony of the second floor. This balcony stands above the door of the Annexe, connected to nothing and essentially just decoration. And there’s Catlett standing on the outside of it, knocking on Marta’s window, utterly shocking Marta and her friend, and then opening the window, and climbing through.

To make matters worse, he was rewarded with generous applause. I swear the world was going crazy on this night. Either that or everyone was completely off their rockers with booze, or…well, those are really the only two options that are logical to me at the moment.

Anyway, he came down, was still greeted with applause, and then he went and did it again. Yeah.

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Slip ‘n Slide

There was a red blow up couch on the lawn, it had rained…of course that means people would somehow fashion a quasi-slip ‘n slide. It was cool! I even tried it! And Teja, and Amanda, and of course Catlett started it, and some of the other boys too.

And then I walked away when they said, “Let’s make a ramp out of the table!” They did so, Catlett did it over and over and got some air with this one too.

I forgot to mention that Ben recorded all these crazy escapades on video too, and we hope to see them on YouTube soon.

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Surfin’ USA

While I was at Padrino’s for the last time with Garrett and Freyah, Heat, Craig, Steve and Brandon NM apparently did a bit of surfing. They used the picnic table, carried it to the top of the manor’s stoop, got on the underside and held onto the legs for support.

Then they proceeded to launch themselves down the steps for some Stoop Surfing.

I don’t know how much more ridiculous and awesome that could get.

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End of the night/break of dawn

Anyway, the rest of the night involved awesome music (70s and 80s music) that everyone sang along to and danced to (we had a huge circle of dancers and Craig and Brandon OK were dancing like crazy all night). It was so fun and wonderful and just the best night ever that will always be etched in my memory, crazy, frightening goings on included. It’s probably because of all that that it will always be in there.

Some people stayed up to the crack of dawn. I saw it light up and and tried to beat the light by shutting my eyes before it hit me.

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For Good: last goodbyes on June 14th

girls

group picture

I didn’t think I’d cry, I really didn’t. That morning I woke up feeling sick still, tossed all my trash, and then brought my suitcases outside.

RALPH: Mika, are those your bags?

MIKA: These bags I’m pulling? Why yes, yes they are.

RALPH: They’re bigger than you. You could fit inside. It does not make sense because your clothes should be smaller than normal.

MIKA: Hmm…I suppose that is true, Ralph. I have no idea what is going on. They’re also both overweight.

We got kicked out at 10am, so that morning on Saturday, June 14, everyone was outside in front of the Annexe, watching as cabs pulled in and took us away one by one. It was as if we were all being hauled away to war or prison, each one of us. Or (as Dad said after I told him about this morning) it was like an MTV’s The Real World goodbye/finale episode. So very true. Spirits were down, faces were wet, tissues were soaked, and boys were laughing.

The first couple of cabs hauled Teja, Miriam, Alli, Holly and Gazaleh away, and as soon as the cabs pulled up and I saw Teja and Holly begin grabbing their things, I was surprised to find myself starting to cry. It snuck up on me.

Then I went with Elizabeth, Michal, Catlett and Luca to go drop off our keys and swipe cards at The Edge, and I cried all the way down there. It was weird. I stopped when we got there, but we ran into Garrett at the top of the hill just before reaching Fulwood Road, and we were going to leave before he got back from breakfast, so we had to say goodbye.

GARRETT: I guess we need to say goodbye now, then.

MIKA runs in for the hug.

MIKA: No!

GARRETT: Yup, I’m sorry, Mika, but we have to.

I swear that my protest sounded like I was five, and Garrett’s response sounded like he was a parent enforcing the ‘eat your vegetables’ rule. I didn’t care. I’d started crying again, and he was staring at me a bit so I think that shocked him. You’re not the only one, buddy.

MIKA: Well, don’t get yourself killed in the Middle East.

GARRETT: (nodding thankfully) Oh right, thanks–I’d better write that one down. Anything else? What about my things? Should I let people just take them or…

MIKA: Haha, smartass. (starts crying again)

So sad. I’ll miss his wit and quick, clever banter. He did promise me quite a few times toward the end there that he’d make it to the States in a few years.

Then we passed by Martin, Lukas, Pearson and Corey, and I cried again. Seriously, these waterworks were ridiculous. I felt like an exploding faucet every time someone new showed up. Oh! There’s another person! Water spraying all over the place.

And then we were up and loaded onto our cabs, and that was that.

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Can’t beat it.

I’m going to be cliched, but I’m going to explain why too. I’m going to put in lyrics, but they’re from a song that some of us thought reminded us of the Annexe–this song in addition to Frannie’s “Giants in the Sky.”

I’ve heard it said
That people come into our lives for a reason
Bringing something we must learn
And we are led
To those who help us most to grow
If we let them
And we help them in return
Well, I don’t know if I believe that’s true
But I know I’m who I am today
Because I knew you…
I have been changed for good

- “For Good,” Wicked (Original Cast Recording)

Ok, that’s over.

Anyway, this entire experience has made me Wicked Happy (Catlett’s term). I’ve heard from a bunch of different people that studying abroad is an amazing experience, but that really doesn’t do it justice. It’s been the best time of my life. I’ve gotten to know people across the nation and all over the world, and having connections and friends who are so different, who’ve been brought up so differently, getting to know these people, is an inexplicably wonderful thing.

Tito Darren emailed me toward the middle of the term saying, “Hopefully this won’t be the trip of your lifetime, but I am sure it already has been memorable.”

I hope it isn’t the climax of my life either, but it’s going to be an extremely difficult experience to beat.

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Goodbye, Ranmoore House Annexe (so formal).

Goodbye, Manics in the Annexe (so dubbed by Garrett that first week).

Goodbye, Poundtown (misunderstood word by Steve).

Goodbye.

Whoever said ’sorry’ seems to be the hardest word? (It was Ray Charles, but who’s name dropping?)

 

saying goodbye and Dublin: beware, written with lack of sleep

Saying goodbye, part 1

It was weird going to Dublin Wed.-Thurs. at this time because we’d had to say goodbye to Frannie and Amy the night before. I’ve been exhausted and a bit sick, and of course not sleeping enough makes me sicker. However, I had to stay up to say goodbye–I couldn’t not do so!

Franny and Amy were pretty much the first batch of my closest friends here that had to go. Stephan leaves today (Fri.) :o( and everyone else pretty much leaves tomorrow. It’s so awful! Someone was saying it was almost like people falling off a tree one by one and I can’t stand that image. Urgh–it’s too utterly depressing.

I know I’ll see Franny again–we’re all going to have a reunion and I’m going to go to Chicago and they’re coming to Virginia Tech, but it’s so sad to watch her leave! She said goodbye at 6am the next morning and woke me up (I wanted her to!), and she was crying and it was the saddest thing to see!! I’d only ever seen her cry once before and that was horribly sad too.

Amy was also very emotional on Tuesday–we watched a bit of Pride and Prejudice together for old times’ sake as we’ve been movie buddies, more so toward the end of the semester, and it was so sad–not a very lively or chipper movie at all, and it rather seems depressing in such a circumstance. I do know, however, that I’ll see her again as well–in September she’s coming to the states to watch the Virginia Tech vs. UNC football game (American football match, yeah? haha) and all the Tech people are going down to UNC to watch it as well :o) I at least have that to look forward to. And also, I’m hoping to go to Toronto with Pop when he goes for his annual World Bank conference up there.

Then I also realized that I had to say goodbye to Melanie as she was leaving on Thursday before Teja and I got back from Dublin. It was so sad to see her cry! For some reason, my mind never pictured Melanie being the sort of person to cry at goodbyes, but as Amy and I watched Pride and Prejudice, Melanie sat down in the hall to study (the light in her room was out), and she started to cry because she had to study in the midst of goodbyes to everyone. I completely understood her frustration, and it was just the saddest thing seeing her cry there in the hallway with her laptop on her lap and notes scattered around her. She’s a UNC girl, so I will see her in September as well, but still, very sad saying goodbye. She cried too the next morning before Teja and I took off for Dublin :o(

Though I know I’ll see these particular three girls again eventually, it was still very sad knowing that it won’t be in the same situation–we won’t be living together again, won’t do all the things we do together again. It’ll be a short meeting to catch up, and I feel like that’s all it’ll be from now on with everyone, just meetings to catch up. It won’t ever be the same. Even if we do set up a reunion, there will be some people who don’t show up or who have prior engagements or something. These are our last days together like this. It really is an end.

Teja and I were talking about saying goodbye to those three yesterday and how depressing it was–many tears were shed. It was also the girls’ slumber party, but we spent time in the hallway upstairs with the boys too as the girls said their goodbyes. Anyway, we began our trip to Dublin exhausted and with goodbyes bringing us down.

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Dublin: charming accents, seeing the city, chit-chat over coffee, a sex in the city experience, and meeting up with garrett and cousin

Trinity College

part of Dublin Castle

where the fake celtic ‘maze’ was

pretty dublin

Yesterday Teja and I got back from our half-day trip to Ireland. We left in the morning on Tuesday, arrived at around 1:30pm, and left at about 10:30am yesterday (Wednesday)–got a bit of heat for it, but I don’t care, I just wanted to see Ireland before I left for good.

Dublin was fun! Despite going and arriving with goodbyes making us sad and goodbyes looming over us toward the end of the week, we touched down in Ireland, walked to customs and decided this trip was good after all! Yes, we were leaving at a crucial time, but Wednesday was a halfway mark in the week and all we were really missing out on were more goodbye sad faces and being in the Annexe when a couple of people are already gone.

It ended up being an awesome day! It did rain, but I suppose we got the full Irish experience that way. We got off of the plane and walked towards customs and were momentarily stopped when we heard an Irish construction worker within the airport. We turned to each other and both about melted to the floor haha! Their accents really are just that charming!

The next taste of Ireland we got were from the customs officers themselves!

CUSTOMS OFFICER: And how long will you be in Ireland?

MIKA: Um…just one night.

CUSTOMS OFFICER: (looks up from passport and stares) Just one night?

MIKA: He…he…yes…please don’t think I’m a terrorist or drug dealer.

CUSTOMS OFFICER: I don’t think I can let you in then! Only one night in Ireland! (shakes head)

And a similar conversation was had with Teja as well by another officer too haha! He was funny.

We went around to see all the sites in the city–Trinity College, Grafton St., Dublin Castle, ate at a classic diner, saw the Medieval Quarter, the Law Quarter, and some other stuff. It was funny because looking at the map of Dublin Castle, we saw that there were gardens and in the middle looked to be a maze in the shape of some sort of celtic symbol. We went to that because we wanted to frolic in it, only to find it was a circular lawn with brick laid down in that shape! Then it began to rain, we became cold and miserable and found a little coffee shop to chat and gossip a bit about the Annexe.

We then walked around until we had to meet Garrett and his Irish cousin at 9pm, and earlier in the day we’d seen a long line outside of Clery’s, a department store, and disregarded it. However, as we had tons of time, we walked in there as we passed by just for kicks.

A lady with a clipboard approached us and asked, “Are you girls on the list?” to which Teja replied, “No.” The lady smiled and sort of shrugged saying, “Oh that’s all right, you can go on in!” We looked at each other, shrugged and walked past her to be greeted by a man in rather formal waiter attire with a tray in one hand with champagne twinkling at us. “Champagne?” he asked, and after glancing at each other in excitement, we both thought, hell yes, champagne! and got a glass each. We then saw a bunch of people serving other mixed drinks, Irish coffee in little shot glasses, and an assortment of food! There was also a dessert bar with little desserts :oD

It was an event for make-up companies, and it took up the entire first floor of the store. All make-up was 15% off, and they were doing demos on people! Teja and I jumped on that after we ate a bit. I went to Smashbox and they did my foundation, eyes and gloss on the lips. They did this cool thing with an anti-shine and moisturizer that kept the foundation on for a long time and kept my face from getting oily and the makeup from melting off–I want to go buy it at home. They sell that stuff in Sephora as it’s a Los Angeles-based brand.

Afterwards we met Garrett and his cousin on the O’Connell Bridge. That was fun :o) We went to a pub in the Temple Bar district and met up with one of the cousin’s friends. Those two plan on opening an Irish pub in New York and apparently have a failsafe name for their pub that they wouldn’t disclose. They had to leave around 11pm to catch a train back home, so Teja and I walked around a bit more and ate food. Then we slept and had a horrid day getting back to Sheffield as our plane was delayed by an hour and I was feeling absolutely miserable with a sore throat, headache, tired eyes, and just overall fatigue.

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Packing, and last day in Sheffield

I finished packing last night pretty much and today is the Annexe Wellfare BBQ (hosted by Steve) and everyone sort of has mixed feelings about it–BBQs are so fun, but at the same time, this is our last day all together so everyone’s going to be so sad and depressed :o( And Stephan is leaving today — booooo!

Ok, I really don’t know what else to write except sentences that will contain the words ’sad’ and ‘depressed,’ so here’s the end of this post. Perhaps there’ll be one later.

Goodbye :o( what a sad word.