Friday, September 08, 2006

lesson #034: arrivederci

But only 'til December!

My last blog post pre-exchange... Didn't realise I haven't been writing for nearly a week! Ah well... Time flies when you're panicking and procrastinating interchangably. Somehow, I'm sitting up on my bed typing on the eve of my departure.

How did I get here?

I've spent so much time waiting that once it IS here, it feels way too sudden. I don't even have time to ask myself whether I'm prepared. And I've been thinking so much of how fearsome this exchange is but once I found myself here, at this very moment, I feel numb. Maybe it's shock, eh?

I thought about blogging a coupla times, but I found myself not having the time to sit down for half an hour and compose... something. Anything. So here I am, with so many things on my mind, but without the luxury of time to pen it down.

The last few days have been a flurry of activities. Stressing out over buying necessities, hopping from one farewell meal to another, being kay poh and attending the Emix auditions just to see who were there.

And then there was my very big headache: Ze Amazing Luggage Limit Wonder. I've been allocated 30 kg for checked-in baggage. Of course I exceeded it. Even after whittling my clothes down to the bare necessities. Only 3 jeans, 2 pants, 1 knee-length skirt, a coupla sweaters, 10-odd tops... or maybe more... And had wanted to bring 2 boots but I was forced to leave the more impractical pair behind.

My baggage's still 3 kg overweight, but we shall see tomorrow. Hopefully the check-in person would be a reasonable young man who is also reasonably handsome.

My mum's lent me her Christian Dior perfume ('Remember Me') 'cos I ran out of Escada Rio and didn't have time to get My Givenchy. Anyone wanna buy me that as a birthday present? Hee. Then I'd have something to look forward to when I come back!

I had a farewell dinner / surprise early birthday party arranged by the Fight Club this past Saturday. It was awesome because I expected a pure farewell dinner and had a surprise birthday dinner as well. So it's like having two awesome dinners for the price of 1. They bought me a gift that I definitely won't be exchanging. Can't, actually. Unless it's faulty but eh... Don't know if I'm gonna try it anytime soon *cough*.

I also had a lunch with Mike, Jing and Gary. The honeymoon couple bought me a yummilicious brown scarf from m)phosis.



Then I met Syd for a quick dinner, and SHE bought me a chic brown beret from m)phosis! Not to mention I bought a brown belt from m)phosis earlier on. So it was a chocolatey m)phosis day indeed.

Today, Gary came over to help / watch me pack. It turned out he had other intentions as well. After a tiring day of packing / gym-ing, we went to KAP and there he asked me, "what time is it?"
Me: Eh... what time? Six fifteen ah?
Gary: Nope! It's time to open your present!!

Turns out he had a custom-made farewell gift pack ready for me to open one by one.



The gift pack consists of a Paris Hilton bookmark (private joke), a small box containing his scent for when I miss him, a pack of tissue to wipe away my tears at the airport (ha ha), the m)phosis bracelet I've been eyeing, and a can of barley drink ('cos I always drink barley with him).

But the most awesome gift was my early birthday present:


A dusty-white purse from Renoma! Yippeeee! (Looks a bit dark here 'cos I didn't use flash to take the pic... and I was rushing!)

So I'm gonna sail away into a grey sky morning. But it won't be so bad... you're just the best I ever had.

I will miss all of you...

Don't have high teas without meeeee!

Hmmm okay just now I said I feel numb but I think now I'm feeling... a little breathless. Arrivederci everybody... Can't wait to say hello to you again.