Of nostalgic feelings, greek encounters and the woes of getting visas...

Been a week since I sent my parents off. It's pretty odd coz I've never missed them so much before, especially during meal times nowadays when I cook for one person's share...and then eat it alone... (cue solo violin playing in the background) Plus the fact that I used to stay in a house with 8 other wackos and meal times used to be war zones where you raised your voice to speak or risk being unnoticed. Hmmm, really going to miss those days. From next week, it's pretty much going to be me, and me, and me eating alone in the Doctor's residences (cue violin again).

Spent the weekend away in Milton Keynes for a COCM (Chinese Overseas Christian Mission) conference. Was a good time away with a lot of solid foundational teaching. It was the first time I got so lost amidst all the Cantonese conversations and it didn't take long for people to realise that I'm hopeless in Cantonese! But was very edifying indeed to mix with people from Leeds and Birmingham where the Chinese Churches there have not only 1, not 2, but 3 services! (1 for English, 1 Chinese and 1 Cantonese)

To save money on the way back, I decided to take a bus to London, and then wait for the overnight megabus to Dundee, which meant I had to linger in London for 7 hours. With not much money to spend, and not wanting to get lost (remember...Dundee is just one high street, London is millions and millions of streets), I decided to take a walk down to Buckingham Palace and laze in the sun a bit at the park in front of the Palace. And lo and behold, who shall I meet but one of my year mates, of all places in London! So spent the evening with his friends (who are all greek) and it was the second time during the weekend that I got completely lost in a foreign conversation. It was superbly entertaining though to see them speak greek with their big hand gestures. I always get this impression that they're very excited over the things that they speak about, but actually, it's just their way of conversing to one another.

Rushed off to do my visa in Glasgow the next day. But got rejected due to one single letter. Mmm don't really want to launch into the whole story again because I've repeated myself so many times to different people that I'm bit bored of it. But at least I achieved my other mission in Glasgow which was to get a new watch! Ahhh....and now I can't stop admiring it and can't stop wanting to know the time. It's a Fossil watch with 3 interchangeable straps made of genuine leather. And it was on half price! Spent the rest of the day sitting at a window seat in Starbucks sipping a Frappucino and waiting for my megabus back. That was quite nice...it reminded me of the time when I used to do that when studying in Singapore...just sitting in Starbucks with a book to read, and watching the shoppers go by the window. It's quite a different feeling being in Glasgow with the massive throngs and throngs of shoppers compared to good ole Dundee where you've got just ONE shopping street. And for a moment there, I half wished that I was staying in a bigger city. But then again...maybe not. I still like Dundee better :) Got to make another trip down to Glasgow again to sort out my visa. Or I'll risk being an illegal worker here!