Thanksgiving Week

Guess who I saw on the way to school today..?? :)
And these bold fellas... I thought I would be all quiet and subtle, thinking that they'd be scared off if I went nearer to get a closer shot, but they actually strutted up towards me, looking for food I bet!

It was Canada's Thanksgiving Day this past Monday, and also our reading break this week. This is what Fall is looking like around here now with lotsa orangey-red hues...


Thanksgiving is typically a time for family gathering and food here... so a couple of us 'family-less' folks decided to have our own lil reason to gather and eat with a Thanksgiving potluck followed by a time of prayer and worship in thanksgiving to God. :p

Thanksgiving menu of pasta, salad, roast beef (!!), and my non-angmo contribution of chicken green curry... :p

The next night I had yet another home-cooked dinner... this time hosted by Geok Hwa (far left) from Singapore - 2nd year Regent student. Also there were Pastor Boon Leong from Mt. Carmel BP and Cheryl from Malaysia.

Not forgetting that it IS reading week after all, and I HAVE to, SHOULD be using this break productively to catch up on my reading and assignments... whenever I am not being harassed by my encouraging mates while being hard at work that is. *innocent look*

First Week of School

Good news: my MacBook is finally in my possession after a week of waiting and now I can update again!

Bad news: I feel inertia-ed in my updates after a saturated week of orientation and school... :p

It's been a real whirlwind of events... but I'm thoroughly enjoying every moment of it - the college, the faculty, the lectures, and wonderful people from all over that I can now call friends. :)

The campus is really beautiful... it's just got a makeover with a brand new library and a beautiful wind tower that has pretty lights at night!

I live at St. Andrew's Hall, which is just a 10-min walk away... This is my room which is now quite lived in. :p

So far I've learnt...

• one does not flag down buses in Canada... unless you want to raise eyebrows on your "superhero" stance.
  



• according to Regent, i'm not actually in a bible college or seminary, but officially in grad school!



• patience is a virtue I still need to continually work at... good things like free nanos and printers come to those who wait.



• i am not old. :p i am not alone! especially where about 50% of the Regent cohort consist of mainly young adults from all sorts of backgrounds (architects, lawyers, fashion designers and ecologists to name a few!) who are also journeying along the same path... :)



• the emergence of sun does not necessarily make it a warmer day... wind-chills kill!



• orientation is super but awfully draining... especially in an environment where you share your faith story endlessly with each new person you meet!

I need to re-program myself to study mode now... first assignment is due next week. :p

Vancouver Island

In pictures...

MAP

Trip route:

Vancouver - Horseshoe Bay - Nanaimo -
Port Alberni - Tofino - Ucluelet - Back!

TRANSPORT

On board the Greyhound and BC Ferries - Queen of Cowichan

When no one's looking... :p


PORT ALBERNI

Clockwise from top-left: view from Greyhound to Port,
outside our accom for the night after an afternoon of
tubing down the river, beautiful view, hearty dinner!

TOFINO

By McKenzie Beach

Kayaking round the islands - international team from
Singapore, England, Russia and Germany!

Boardwalk trek to Hotsprings Cove

Wildlife watch: seaplane, bald eagles, seals, the best
shot we could get of a whale doing a tail-flip!

Productive Day

Today was errand-running day... Went to Regent College to grab some stuff that graduating students have left behind for my new accommodation, as well as to check out all the necessary info that I'm still blur about like health insurance and job opportunities... So far, everyone has been totally helpful! :)

Managed to squeeze a bit of time to take pretty shots on campus... Behind us is the flag against the backdrop of the mountains.

Back home for tandoori dinner!

That's Casey all grown-up! The last time I saw him was like 10 years ago when he was still a kid running around and creating havoc, heh... :p Now he's working as a 'communications consultant' promoting cell phones and plans. Am going to visit him at his kiosk tom to get a local one at his suggestion of the most value-for-money arrangement. Sweet. :)

Time with god-family

All the girls!
[L-R: godma Vivien, Celise, Esteia, me, Shara]

Spending the weekend with the Lee family till Tue before heading out with En to Vancouver Island for the week...

Today we sang a kid's song in church that I used to sing as a child which really spoke to me... Really like it. :) This is how the chorus goes. It's entitled 'I Wonder How It Felt':

I’m just a child
My life is still before me
I just can’t wait
To see what God has for me
But I know that I will trust Him
And I’ll wait to see
What life will be for me

Touchdown!

Have reached safe and sound in Vancouver at 12.30pm local time (Singapore time 3.30am!)... Feeling a little jet-lagged but am pretty much in one piece other than that! :)

Thanks again to all who made the effort to come bright and early all the way down to the airport to see me off... sorry if I didn't get to talk to some of you as much as I would have liked to before zipping off to the plane! Was trying my best to stay focused after being awake for most of the night before... :p

How do I feel about leaving? I guess that's the most common question I've been asked of late... dunno if it's normal but I dun actually feel too sad. :p Not that I won't miss home and everyone back there, but God has been tremendously good in surrounding me with familiar people and faces from the start... for one, I think I would have been quite lost if En wasn't there with me immediately after being surrounded by so many people and also helping me get where I'm supposed to. But... maybe that might change in 3 months or so... ask me again then. Grin.

Ok, time to de-jet-lag myself and force myself to bed.

Night for now.

Of Farewells

There's a joke going round that my full-time job since the start of June has been having lunches and dinners...

Here's evidence to that! :p



Definitely enough local food to last me the 1.5 years that I'll be away for! :)