Haven't I been updating the blog??? Oh no...my blog is being desolated...by ME. So after somewhat a more than 12 hour sleep, I could feel myself resurging from the fatigue side and storming into complete vibrance. Many things happened recently though my holidays seem dull...I received the semester results which was satisfactory (thank god) scholarship would most probably be retained (crossed fingers). So this Christmas, definitely have wonderful plans...for ONCE in my entire life. I didn't have much chances to meet up with the crap gang...except for Navee whom I met last weekend, ah absolutely enjoyable! Navee, still on for SUNWAY LAGOON? Will be heading to Ipoh on new year's day! I realized something too...there hasn't been many exciting movies in theatres and it's the peak season! Taking SAT this January...what a "delight" (I meant sarcasm with the quotation marks)to kick off the new year.
Ok, Im crapping a lot here and I shall get myself working today after a shower.

A worthy one...

I gotta admit. President Clinton is one of the finest and calibred president the United States have ever had! Just meeting him today in person although not closely enough, has drawn my attention towards his flair as the former president of the US. Amazingly, he had spared his time to visit us in Nilai, which was just so generous of him to have changed hundred of students' lives in just an hour. You know, meeting him may be a once in a lifetime thing. A long wait in the multi purpose hall for his arrival was paid off when his inspiring speech echoed the hall and received standing ovations from the crowd. His talk focussed on expanding youth leadership which is what the world needs now from global citizens. I never got the chance to meet any of the presidents when I was in US, but I finally met one today in MALAYSIA, in fact, it was a memorable meeting!

PS: Finals in less than a month. Work hard man!

a little something...

Seeing this picture reminds me of this unforgetable experience of mine in Gadsden Alabama. People might be oblivious about this particular place, but to me, it meant a string of memories. I just loved its greenery, not to mention the gutsy hills. You just can't help but to feel so blessed as you wake up in the morning with beautiful sights coupled with pure fresh air around you. Believe me. I remembered telling myself that I will be back in 10 years time. I was hosted in Texas but Alabama left a lasting impression in me.

So, as I was lying on the couch waiting for lunch, something ran through my mind. I wondered how much I changed after my 6 months stint. Honestly, I dont see much transition, but perhaps a tiny bit of me has shown some differences in terms of maturity and confidence. In anyway, I still feel gratified for all these that happened in my life.

Life's a fuss...

I should have corrected that...life's a mess. Ups and downs of life are the norms we face in every moment of life. Nobody would believe if I say life's none other than perfection. So wrong. As time slowly creep by, things deliberately changed. From not being able to accept failure easily to one who is able to see failure in a positive way, I finally saw the light. The light that would guide me through my entire journey.

PS: Blogging hasnt been in agenda lately...quizzes and tests take over.

Aftermath...

A week off from school ain't filled with boredom...hung out with some ex school mates, , attempting assignments, planned for charity project, driving classes (JPJ test next week!) and finally the "trip" to Sg. Chiling...the trip was meant to be a fruitful one, but the rainy condition wasn't very helpful...we were told not to trek the river due to slippery rocks. So, then here comes this plan of stopping by the Sungai Selangor Dam but it was closed that day! We were fortunate enough to capture mesmerising sceneries of the river with beautiful mountains as background and of course the sumptuous meal by Adelyn. Pictures shall be posted soon...LAZINESSSSS...
Oh yes, test result...which were convincing to me...much better than expected.
Now, what else? Oh, oh the "Read for Charity" project! Hopefully it turns out well!

That's all for now!

Untitled

Finally done with test today...obviously did not do well. Well, life goes on man! Took some time off today to blog and glanced through my previous posts when I was still THERE (trying not to mention it) Found these really cool pictures that I took, one of which I captured with Dato' Mahadzir Lokman and Mr. Kuhan from AFS and of course the fantastic skydiving picture!
Pictures of the day, YAY!




PS: Being part of the Charity Division is gonna be a blast for me this semester, or the one and half year as a whole.

Happenings

Woah, haven't been posting for about a month! So, here I am to update a little about my past few weeks. Psychology challenge, tests, quizzes for each subjects and even coursework coming, all lined up for me. But, currently still could afford to enjoy life with great college mates...exciting activities coming up for A Level peeps, hopefully!

Amidst of my pre-occupied schedule, I had some time to think about my future and interesting activities to plan with friends, several places for choice. My future is between pharmacy and psychology. God, PLEASE help me to decide.

PS: It has been about 2 months since I left. I am coming back, my second home.I still can't believe that I actually skydived there!

4th week

My 4th week in Malaysia! Mom would always tell me to get back to reality when I compare my life in Houston with my life in Malaysia. I know, I know. But sometimes just the joy of saying it would bring back fond memories, I cant resist the urge to reminisce.
Darn, I'm deeply craving for JACK IN THE BOX!!!! There was a Jack in the Box near my house and I remember how convenient it was to get their ranch chicken burger. No fast food outlet in Malaysia would beat the crispness of their chicken and the ever mouth watering french fries they have there!
Oh yes, went for the 5 hours driving course, which was dead boring. Something from the course just seemed to lower my confidence in driving LOL.

Reminiscence

It has been 2 weeks already since I returned.
Everything seems to be different to me now. Maybe not all but partially.
I guess it's pretty normal to possess this kinda feeling for a YES returnee.
College started; I'm enrolled in the Cambridge A Level, thanks to Inti for the tuition waiver.
I remembered school in America was slow paced and everything was easy to grasp.
But now, college isn't that easy. Well, that's life.
On the other perspective, life has been so wonderful for me for the past 6 months for me to reminisce. I was blessed and is still blessed to have brilliant people around who love me and care for me.
Had Wiggy, the German exchange student for the weekend and really loved her. Too bad, she's gone far north.
Everyone seems to be dead in their blog (my friends at least) but I decided to revive mine at least occasionally since I find it one of the easiest way to express myself.
I realised that I needed some space, room to breathe. Probably I started college too early that I did not give myself adequate rest. But, I think I'm catching up now with Malaysian life though I still find my bed a little hard to sleep on and my routine rather unusual for a Malaysian teenager.
Nevermind. Things take time to recover.

Alright, time to sleep and hopefully I could sleep soundly after few nights of not-so-pleasant sleep.

PS: "You're now in Malaysia, not America. Down-to-earth, Jocelyn."

Goodbye Texas!

Sometimes things happen for a reason. 6 months ago, I was about to leave for the US and now it's time to say goodbye. Nevertheless, I hope this is just a temporary farewell. I know I have loved ones here and I can't wait to be back again to visit them.


Look at this girl, she used to have short hair and looked bubbly.


Now, she has longer hair and looks more mature,ain't it? Haha, that's me!













Memories are to be cherished, experiences are to be treasured and new people that I met are to be valued for a lifetime. I truly hope that this is just the beginning and may destiny bring us all together again in the future!

PS: Flight leaving to Washington DC at approximately 11.39am tomorrow, will be there for 3 days for orientation before returning to Malaysia on July 2nd.

Cheers!

Mucho gracias mi familia de anfitrión para darme memorias maravillosas!

The Clock is Ticking....

Time passes by so fast now. Haven't been blogging often, yes, because I'm trying to make the best out of my stay here. It has been a wonderful journey, of course I would want to retain it.

One month left. No, 2 1/2 weeks left.

See, time passed by rapidly.

Will be arriving in Malaysia on 4th July. Wee!

I have been kayaking and I am totally in love with it. I would consider involving myself in the sport when I return.

Well, a couple of weeks left means days away from meeting my family and friends!
Ah, feels wrong, maybe weird because we havent been seeing each other in a while, half a year to be precise!

Nooooo....I don't wanna come home yet....*grins* just kidding....

So, to anyone yang nak jemput saya dari airport, 4th of July yeah! LOL

Bungee!

Hey guys,

Here's a brief video that I would like to share with y'all (mommy,daddy,kor and the rest of the family and good friends) about my life in the US. So feel free to view it and drop a comment for me!



THANK YOU

3rd 6th week term; Holocaust

It is already my 3rd 6th week term here; progress report is about to be released! It has never worried me when it comes to this because I've always achieved what I wanted. So, as I say PROGRESS REPORT aka report card...I made a perfect 100 for English Holocaust Literature which is something to be proud of because I've never studied Holocaust in Malaysia but now that I'm being exposed to Holocaust, it does do wonders to me.
Well, The Holocaust was the deliberate murder and persecution of the Jews by the Nazis who came into power in Germany in 1933; lead by the infamous Adolf Hitler. The Nazis' rise of power had certainly left a black mark in the world's history.
Personally, The Holocaust has made me realise that endless power could do much jeopardy to the human race. The rise of Nazi power had lead almost the entire Jewish race to be killed, nevertheless, those who were alive were brought to labor/ concentration camps to work to death.
One thing which has terrified me was the burning of the Jews' bodies in the crematorium in the purpose of eliminating the Jewish race. That was unbelievable, yet it has proven to us that the burning of human bodies was the worst form of death ever happened in the human race history.
Holocaust Literature has been my favourite these days. I've read several Holocaust books which really interest me. HOLOCAUST ROCKS!

Just thought that it would be a good idea to share a little about The Holocaust since many people are still ignorant of this and that it is wise to learn about it so that we WILL NOT repeat history again.

Belated Spring Update

I had spring break a couple of weeks ago and though it was just a week of break, I had enjoyed the most out of it. I went to New Orleans,Louisiana, Gadsden, Alabama and Atlanta, Georgia. 3 states in a week, wonderful right? I travelled by car with my host mom, her sis, Ruba and Elly. The experience was awesome. The most memorable activity was going on the Skyrider...it was challenging but exciting! The best part was being able to have our own apartment in Alabama. We really had fun by having the place all by ourselves. Honestly, I love Alabama the most, with the hills and greenery, it was just breathtaking. See you in 10 years time, Alabama!


In New Orleans


The Skyrider



The Coca-cola Factory



Baju kebaya in Alabama

Oh, I found my first picture in Houston!

Enjoy viewing the pictures! More updates to come...love y'all!

The New Way

Hey,

Jocelyn has been in the United States since January 16, 2010. This statement plays in my mind everyday with me counting the days since I've been here. I would rather count the days I've been here than count the days left for my stay in the US. I know. I know it is resentful to confess, but here I want to make a revelation, a MAJOR one. I am slowly changing into a new person, I hope. A better person, a better Jocelyn. Since stepping onto the lone star state, Texas, I'm amazed by how structured the state is and of course, the amiable people have warmed my heart. Not to forget, the wonderful host family I have. They are one of the nicest people I've ever met besides my parents.

I've learnt and still learning, that adaptation is the new way of living. I don't expect people to change for me, I change to adapt. That's the way for an exchange student. I never know what would happen next, so I am learning to not expect, trying hard indeed. This part of my journey would leave the deepest impact in my life; which I would remember forever. I struggle sometimes, but it doesn't matter, that would only make my experience more fruitful!

Enrolled in Pasadena High School, I stepped into a new life as an American teenager. It was different, still very different for me. But, I would still stick to AFS's saying, no right or wrong one, just differentlah...haha! New friends, definitely new perspective of life and absolutely a golden experience.

YES has changed my life greatly. It has given me a brand new life which gives me a promising future. I hope to promote YES to the younger generation. I want to tell them, YES, has inspired me to live beyond my boundaries, yet to not omit my roots. *crossed fingers* I shall be a better person once I return. However, I would still be mommy's and daddy's girl! I would still be the friend of my friends, the same Jocelyn Tang Phaik Lin!

Me encanta mi vida y la familia

GRATITUDE

Thank you God.
Thank you my loveliest mom, dad, grandma and kor.
Thank you my awesome teachers of SJ.
Thank you my bestest friends.

Thank you my kindest SPM markers.

PS: Tutoring kids has been a great experience. I'm gonna get my sailing cert soon. Alabama awaiting.

A Texan's Pride

Being gifted with the opportunity to be an exchange student representing Malaysia and of course, the privilege to be a Texan, is definitely the greatest pride in my life. It is only the 7th week since I arrived in the United States but I already had so many wonderful shades of colors in my life. Last Friday, my host mom drove us all the way from Houston to Terrell to spend our weekend with her friend and some exchange students. The night journey took her 6 hours to reach Terrell. On Saturday, I had the most terrific yet incredible day of my life in Six Flags, Dallas! Never in my life I had gone for so many rides in a day and it was an unforgettable experience for me. I was with a group of exchange students from Saudi Arabia, Brazil and Germany; that made the experience much more enriching. I unbelievably went on the Titan ride which has a maximum thrill rate and it is the largest ride in Texas. What a great thrill that was; it was fun to possess the feeling of fear and excitement at the same time, especially with a group of adventurous friends. That day, I tried on many rides which I never dared to ride in Malaysia; I had a great time with my friends from other countries. I even had myself drawn in caricature. Before we left on Sunday, we had managed to share our culture and knowledge of our respective countries with one another. I got to know more about the culture of Saudi Arabia and Peru from our sharing session. I also had a Peruvian breakfast style; hot Cappuccino and empanadas (Peruvian meat pie), tantalizing isn’t it? The trip to Terrell and Dallas was one of the most amazing trip of my stay so far as it had so much to offer to an exchange student like me. Yes, I’m proud to be a Texan!
















Check out www.yesalumnimalaysia.blogspot.com for me too!

44th day, 6th week in USA

Had some free time today, so I decided to post some updates on my activities for the past 2 weeks. I tried Columbian food which was absolutely superb, especially the desert and the fried banana. I had the chance to experience Houston's CNY, unbelievable wasn't it? Frankly, there're lots of Asians in Houston, it's beyond my expectation to encounter more Asians and Hispanic here. Well, afterall we're still TEXANS! Teresa brought me to watch a lion dance in Bellaire last weekend, it was crowded; even Americans came to join the excitement. 50 firecrackers at least were burnt; they were loud. Last Friday, Pier (Teresa's bro) treated us with a great dinner, mmmmm deliciosa! The serviche was good! And this weekend, I attended Seidy's birthday party which was a blast though it was only amongst family members. FELIZ CUMPLEANOS SEIDY! I bought her a set of Barbie accessories and a Hello Kitty soft toy; she liked it obviously. I'm gonna be occupied next weekend as I'm going to Dallas, so I wouldn't have time for updates. Can't wait for the rodeo show on the following weekend!


In front of Buddhist temple in Bellaire


Roaring lion dance


3 milk cream cake;Columbian style; EXCELLENT


With the bday girl!


Carlos caught a glimpse of the greedy girl, while Heydi looked tempted

PS: Realizing the fact that it has already been more than a month since I arrived, I don't want time to pass by so fast. It's not because I dont wanna go home, but there are too much for me to live through and that time needs to move slower for me to have sufficient time to enjoy the most out of these 6 months. Still, I love you, everyone at home!

Go Texan Day!

It's Go Texan Day today. So be sure to pull those boots out of the back of your closet, knock the dust off and wear them with pride. Pledging allegiance to the Texas flag is still optional, but dressing like a “Texan” isn't. What else should be on your radar as the 2010 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo kicks off? Of course it's fun and excitement!

2010 Houston Chronicle

Snow, No?

Today (02/23/2010) is probably the coldest day of my stay in Houston. It's 36 degree fahrenheit now, cloudy condition with showers in my area. It's snowing in most of the northern parts of Texas; Houston is forecasted to experience snow tonight. If it snows, I'm gonna go out with my sweater on to take a picture because I never had a picture of me with snow as the background except when I was in DC. It would be great to at least get a feel of snow in Houston since snow was never in Texans' history till lately; last year. The agenda of tonight is to patiently wait for snow! Wohoo! Off to keep myself warm now!
Hasta luego...

PS: Mummy, daddy don't worry I have enough sweaters/ jackets to keep me cosy, or my layers of fat would do good to me by insulating my body.

The Workout

PHEW! Finally had my first badminton game in Houston. It was great though it was a massive workout after the hiatus from badminton for maybe 2 months at least...the youth training session was held at the Fonde Recreation Center under the Houston Badminton Club. My coach is gonna get me a badminton racquet since mine is at home! Miss my Magnetic Speed racquet! Yeah, met new people who are younger than me, OUCH! Oh yes, had my first experience in baby sitting 3 kids at once. It wasn't an easy task, peeps! TRUST ME. Alright, that's it for now. Adios...

PS: Chinese buffet in Houston is really cheap, it is only 7 dollars per head and you could take as much as you want! Plus, the food is superb!

Amo a mi familia!

Common Phrases

These are the common phrases that I have heard so far in the US (I guess these are compliments to me?) *show off* LOL

"Your English is excellent!"
"Your handwriting is perfect!"
"You're smart."
"Oh, you're tall! Taller than I expected!"

el día de San Valentín (Valentine's Day in Spanish)

I thought I was not going to receive any valentine's gift this time except a flower...but I was totally wrong! Teresa came into my room right after my shower with a red bag and a balloon! They were my CNY and Valentine's gift! I was in shock and didn't expect that at all...perhaps I was being paranoid on that. I have people who love me besides my family in Malaysia, YAY! The gifts are from Lewis and Teresa. The gave me a cute doggie soft toy, a balloon that says Happy Valentine's Day, ANOTHER angpow, a Planet Hollywood shirt and a Valentine's card. OMG, I couldn't imagine how speechless I was that moment, maybe for some of you it's just a small matter, but I appreciate it a lot especially when I'm away from home, feeling lonely during special occasions. Haha, thank you Lewis and Teresa!

CNY in foreign land

Opps...mind my words, not foreign land but my SECOND HOME, Houston. My first CNY without my family and outside the country, amazing isn't it? Well, I've have another family here though, a good one too. So, it's CNY eve here (I know Malaysia is already one day ahead) and I was brought to a Chinese restaurant for dinner. GREAT ambience, SCRUMPTIOUS food, EXCELLENT service, that was an IDEAL place for everyone. Lewis drove us there and we met Carlos and Eve there. I whispered "wow" in my heart when I first saw the restaurant. We had a wonderful dinner together with all Chinese food, ahh, that made me felt like I was at home. Anyways, I got some angpows from them! Oh boy! It never came into my mind I could still receive angpows when I am away from home. Probably mum or dad had already taken the angpows on behalf of me. I have made a deal, all my angpows this year would go to mum's account, awh how sweet isn't it? LOL. Yeah, I WAS NOT KIDDING.







PS: It's 12.30 am now in Texas. HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR & HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY! I know it feels really bad when you didn't receive anything for Valentine's but at least I got a flower! Not to forget...the angpows *evil grin*
Folks, enjoy your celebration! May the year of tiger be a blast to all of you! Also, may prosperity and happiness fill the room of everyone's heart. Pictures to be updated soon.