Sunday, February 25, 2007

think of a happy place, happy place, happy place

Looking back, I rather enjoyed the midterm break despite the fact that towards the end of it, I found myself rushing to finish studying for Ethics midterm.

I especially loved the Tuesday spent in the company of Syd. It started off as an idyllic late afternoon, we shopped our lethargy off and ate and drank at NY. And then I shopped shopped shopped some more (Syd's a very bad shopping partner because she induces you to spend more by commenting that the dress looks nice on you etc etc) and Syd shopped shopped shopped a little bit and then we settled down for some Starbucky goodness and then there was the movie.

Paris, je t'aime.

It's one of the most well-crafted films I've seen this year (not that I've seen much). Think it was made last year for the Cannes festival, thus it was a bit arty. But it's still chokeful of big names like Natalie Portman, Maggie Gyllenhal and Elijah Wood. I really like it. It's a collection of 18 short films about love, shot by renowned directors from all over the world. My personal shortie is the last one shown - the story of a woman who fell in love with the city of Paris. She narrated the story in such an honest and simple way that I found myself shedding a tear or two in remembrance of my exchange trip. That's how I felt too travelling to those foreign countries. At first out of place and lonely, and then adapting, and then not wanting to leave.

At first the disturbing lack of familiarity, and then realizing that precisely because the city was unfamiliar that it became beautiful in its own way.

I'm really grateful I have this blog to remind me of it. Truly the greatest adventure I've embarked in my otherwise mundane life. And I can't wait for more in the future... Different sorts of trips with different sorts of people. Friends, relatives, special ones... I want to go to Hong Kong with my grandfather. Back to UK and Europe with Jing, who's going on an exchange to Newcastle soon :( ... To Egypt for my honeymoon. And of course Paris again, and Florence because I never got the chance to see it. India and Africa and Switzerland and New York and Japan and Korea and Canada and Norway and the furthest furthest reaches of the world.

Ahhh... wanderlust.

My happy place is here
but it's also there
My happy place is with you
but it's also without you
My happy place is inside
wherever I find peace

Isn't life great? You can do anything you want, be anyone you want to be, and the whole world is waiting for you.