Culture is what Im here for

So, I do believe that many of my friends have heard my whine and complain how I have not been able to gel with many Malaysians while I have been here in Australia.

On one note, I'm really not complaining as the variety of people is what I came here for. I did not leave to Malaysia to experience Mini Malaysia here. I treasure all my new experiences and am really happy about all (although very few) friends I have made in the last semester. On ANOTHER note, I feel like guilty for some sort abandoning my roots (no.. honestly, I don't care >.<)

Ok ok... so yesterday was an interesting day for me as I followed my good friend, Ria, on her visiting trips to her family friends' houses. We went to Canterbury and Clayton via train with her father.

So, one of their mutual friends wanted to show us their new purchase-- a sizable plot of land in a very charming neighbourhood. As, I stood there listening to their conversation I realised just how there truly was a lot of Indians in Good Ol' Australia.

Uncle 1: ahh.. yes.. and my Sri Lankan Indian friend lives just over there..

Uncle 2: Oh really? I heard that there are TEN families just nearby.

*car drives past*

Uncle 1: there goes one Sri Lankan...

*another car drives past*

Uncle 2: And another... this time it's a whole family~

Ok. The situation may not entirely have played out like that but you get the picture.

Next stop was Clayton and we dropped by at an Indian grocers to purchase some... whatelse?... groceries, of course!

*steps into grocer shop*

tInKy: Oooo!!! Horlicks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *grabs for it and runs to the counter to pay*

*looks around the shop while waiting in line...*

I do believe I was the only one in that shop who was not Indian >.< . Wow! I mean, yea yea.. I was in an Indian grocer but there truly were a lot of them. It's amazing that their population really is that huge that even when settling in Australia they get a whole street worth of Indian shops just for them.

So, anyways, yes.. im what you may call "ulu" but I absolutely enjoyed my trip yesterday as I got to eat some YUMMY homecooked Indian food... MMMMmmmm.... they did worry that I wouldn't be able to take the spiciness. If only they knew how much I was enjoying it!!!!

Ahh.. I miss the mamaks back home~

play it cool or be kiasu?

Whew~ The day is over...

You know, sometimes doing something a little out of the way does end up with great outcomes.
Ok ok.. not "great" per say but makes life so much more simpler and convenient.

What am I talking about?

Well, nothing interesting. I just managed to shift up all my classes to before 1pm except on Mondays where I have one tutorial at 4pm but that's only one hour so it's fine.

So, basically, to free up MOST of my afternoons I had to switch my law classes to the morning ones but I couldn't get into the class 'cause it was apparently "full". A plan was deviced (nah not really planned out like Oceans 11/12/13 or anything) to go to the Law Building early early so that I can get the classes switched with my legitimate reason :P.

9:45am
Seated in front of the timetable admin door like the kiasu Malaysian I am, eventhough the sign said "10 am-4pm. WE WILL NOT ACCOMODATE YOU OUTSIDE THESE HOURS". Strict-nya.

9:59am
*knocks "shyly" on the door*
"Come in please."
Yes yes.. so I got into the office, finally. Hey! 15 minutes is a long time when you are all "gan jiong" about creating an excuse so that you can swap timings ok!? ESPECIALLY in the Law faculty. They just scare me. They just do.

But... this guy was really nice. First thing he asked me though was how to fix his internet explorer which had a little layout problem. Pai seh.. couldn't help there. >.<

He told me that the class I wanted was full and I should put my name down on this form and see if anyone would like to swap with me. So, I was so "guai" and I followed his instructions THEN I remembered...

"OH!! but there's a problem I have a clash with a revision lecture that starts next week."
"Well then, you would have to print out the timetable and we will see about it."
" I don't have a proper timetable printed out BUT! I have the announcement that says I have to attend those lectures!! *proudly produces the announcement that was kiasu-ly printed out*"
"oh ok then... I will just pop you in there. *click* All done :D"

Hmmm... so being kiasu isn't so bad after all >.<

Back in Melbourne

Touch down in Melbourne at 7:20am --6 celcius!

From summer to winter in 6 short hours.

I could not sleep on the plane this time around, which is pretty odd for me. I ended up watching "Meet the Robinsons" in fast forward. Well, I did pause at certain parts so I still get the plot and all and surprisingly I still cried. What a baby >.<

What was ironic was that I met a 4th year commerce and law student on the plane. She was seated right next to me. She said she usually doesn't sleep on flights but she totally conked out this time around.

Anyways, I arrived at the International House all groggy and in terrible need to sleep. I bet I had panda eyes the size of Antartica by the time I reached my NEW room.

Yes! My new room. It now faces the road and not the court yard. I am now completely isolated from random people in the court yard shouting random things and also isolated from the random gossip that goes on in the stair wells. Peace and quiet...~ I must say that I feel like betraying all of the mannerisms these people in IH like to call "the IH way". Why? 'Cause I miss home. I miss my friends. I don't want to be all chirpy and perky when I don't feel like it. I'm sorry I can't be the social queen my dad hopes I can be.

Audrey, Monvan, Alex and Jai aren't here anymore but they managed to leave behind a whole bunch of stuff for me. I have everything from stationeries and toiletries to food and electrical appliances >.<

lots and lots of FREE stuff! Whee~

Though, I have to say they were some things that I liked and I kinda used some of the stuff to come up with this little thingy for my bracelets and necklaces.

Ok ok.. All I did was twist the paperclips into hooks so that they can hold my necklaces so that they won't get all tangled together. The container reatains its original function by holding my bracelets.
Sue-Anne: I twisted some paperclips to hold my necklaces! *all proud*
Christopher: You never wear necklaces...
Sue-Anne: Yeah... I don't know why I bring them! >.<
*za dou gao gao*

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*imitates Russell Peters' accent as the Indian God*
"And just for fun....."
...I wanna show off two of my favourite purchases while in Malaysia!

Yes it's a skull! Mum usually never lets me buy these kinds of things but she said it looked "cute" on me >.<

Elle handbag... Small and convenient--can be used for casual or formal functions. Just like my watch. See how lazy I am to separate things for different ocassions?

Here's to a new semester and hoping everything turns out alright :)

new sem, new layout

My flight back to Melbourne is tomorrow night at 9:30pm.

Time flies by so quickly...

I'm gonna miss my family and the comfort of being at home.
I'm gonna miss the easiness of catching up with old friends.
I'm gonna miss the heat that makes getting under a fan absolutely wonderful.

I don't want to go back to studying just yet!!! There's still so much more to enjoy. So much more time I should be wasting... rotting my brains away!

Ah well... new resolutions are to sleep early, revise a whole lot more than last semester and take care of my health... which should result me achieving more goals, hopefully.

And, I will change the "welcoming photo" to this blog as it seems quite scary. I think. I will find something more punkish.

A fun fact: "you bleed just to know you're alive" is from the song Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls.
I am NOT trying to be emo!!! >.<

doesn't it scare you

Doesn't it amaze you how much information you can find out about someone through the internet?

I know I know.. it's suppose to be so but doesn't it just scare you?

I find myself at 2 o'clock in the morning looking at random pictures of my friends that I have on "facebook". For some, I don't feel even close enough to actually be checking out their album. I mean, I don't even know half the people in the photos but yet I still browse through them. At the same time, subconciously understanding this person's interests, friends and habits.

Doesn't it scare you?

Because you have put yourself out onto the net, any random person could learn so much about you by absorbing what you have put out onto the world wide web. It may be convenient to post photos up on the internet so your friends and family in other parts of the world may view them but what of people you did not expect to view them?

It is almost 3AM now and I feel like I have been living a few lives as I browsed through albums of different people. Makes me feel like a stalker, like a solo-ist living life through people's photos. Photos that were not entirely meant to be seen by me(although they technically are).

Maybe it's because of this convenience at our finger tips that we become restless as everything becomes too easy. Our parents didn't have all this extra time on their hands as they had to do a little bit more to achieve what we can now achieve in a second.

We constantly seek faster methods to do things. We seek information... more and more... we crave... but what becomes of the privacy of certain information? What becomes of the limits on ownership?

Doesn't it scare you that your life as you live it could be watched by eyes of someone "unknown"?

finally got off my lazy ass

Ok... The past few posts prove to my mother that I get all "emo" when left to be in the house for far too long!! She will need to learn that her daughter really isn't anything like her. Im not a homely kind of person.

Yeah, so eventhough I knew I wasn't gonna do or buy anything... I went for "Hari Keluarga" at SMKSU (my old high school). Thanks to Hong and Willy for donating your coupons to me so that I could donate back to the school ....does that make any sense?!

Well, I was glad to see quite a few old friends and some juniors too! Especially excited to have seen Alyaa! That was freaking awesome!

Sorry if I caught ppl who didn't want to be caught on cam :P

It was odd to see a lot of short ('cause they are younger) gangsta-looking guys... and pretty lil girls in tight jeans and heels. Yeap.. there I was with my "twin" bros (Willy and Hong) in baggy slacks and sandals. Interesting... No wonder the teachers didn't ask me whether I had a boyfriend. HAHAHA!

Puan Rose Chai and Puan Wu continue to be dedicated teachers :D

All in all... I found this year's Hari Keluarga really aggresive and I hope the school will keep up a good image 'cause no matter what, SU was a big part of who I have become.
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So, Friday was a full day!

I got my blood test done. It was my very first blood test. So, I really was quite amazed as I watched my blood oozed out into a syringe... Oooo~ Yes. I found that fascinating. Well, mostly I got everything listed as normal though I think they might not be able to do much with the little urine sample I left for them >.< (too much info? Well, see?! I told you there are no "top ten things that ppl don't know about me". Seriously ppl. Why do you think I have a bloody blog?!)

Next stop was Summit for "TRANSFORMERS"! Yes! Finallly!! I got to watch it!! Foo, Jun Sheng, Qi Hong, Wui Li and Yuan Dong were my movie-watching buddies.

I don't know about you, but I love fight scenes in movies. I'd be the only fool in the audience smiling as the characters slash at each other and say the corniest lines ever (rmb... "Hasta La Vista, babeh"? ... classic babeh!). Ok... The plot was predictable but nicely played out. I mean, can you expect anything less with a trump card like Steven Spielberg behind the scenes?

It was bowling (as requested by Yuan Dong... see I always keep my promises) with Foo and Dong after that. I played ok then sucked.. as usual >.<. However, Foo played like a freaking pro. Ahh well... I know where my back-up plan lies now if I ever am out of a job-- Become a manager for Foo's bowling. HAHAHA!

Yes, so after being badly thrashed, I was in dire need for some chocolate to cheer me up. Ok, not really. But twas Yong's house for us! She baked a yummy chocolate cake for the bbq and it was s-weet!!! :D:D

Mmm... Chocolate icing....

I really did appreciate my parents and my brother and my maids for helping out during the bbq. The girls --Yong, Jia Ling and Grace were a great help with the bbq set too!

do we rock or what?! (Wan Yong and Jia Ling)

Everyone's eager for a piece of the cake! As Yong said.. celebrating 2 years of Teddy-ship :D

BBQ for us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Whee~~~!! Grace (my cousin) joined us and it was a delicious affair, I must say. The food, I mean. >.<

I had a pounding headache and actually really needed to sleep.

Dong : " We should go home and let you rest then..."
Me : "But I have been missing you guys too much. You all can't go! "
Dong : "But you can't play or talk with us and enjoy yourself as much..."
Me : "I'm just happy having all of you close by...."

Thanks for always making it an awesome time! :D

you never did

You said you always listened but the truth is that you never did...

noone really cares la!

Ten things that people don't know about me

To be honest, I think I kinda share a whole lot more with people than I should.



Attachment 1: On the Outside

Name: Sue-Anne Lim

Nickname:tinky

Birth Date: 20 Sept 1988

Current Status: Single as always....

Eye Color: Dark Brown... Red dot when the camera decides to give me a red eye

Hair Color: Dark Brown as always...



Attachment 2: On the Inside

My Heritage: Chinese

My Fears: can't think of any at the moment

My Weaknesses: impatient and anti-social at times

My Perfect Pizza: Aussie Pizza! With lots of eggs on it... mMmmm


Attachment 3: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow

My first thoughts waking up: I really just want to continue dreaming

Daydreams: Going out and meeting random ppl

My bedtime: Whenever... whereever...


Attachment 4: My Pick

Pepsi or Coke: Pepsi

McDonald's or Pizza Hut: I'd rather die of a heart attack

Single or Group Dates: can't decide due to lack of experience in the primer

Adidas or Nike: whichever one has a discount

Tea or coffee: I'd rather be dead tired

Chocolate or Vanilla: Chocolate without any M'sian milk


Attachment 5: Do You...

Smoke: No

Curse: Every single sentence that goes thru my head

Take a Shower: The only thing that gets me out of bed

Have a Crush: I can't help it

Go to School: Yes

Want to Get Married: Depends where life leads me

Believe in Yourself: Most of the time

Think You're a Health Freak: "What's the point of living longer if I can't enjoy it?" -Raymond's dad in Everybody loves Raymond-


Attachment 6: In the Past

Drink Alcohol: Just a lil bit

Gone to the Mall: It's every teenager's second home

Been on Stage: yeah...

Eaten Sushi: Yes..

Dyed Your Hair: No. I like blending in... easier to get 2nds at college


Attachment 7: Have You Ever...

Been in a relationship: No. I live my r'ships thru ppl's stories. It's that sad

Step on someone's nuts: Yes, it fell to the ground

Kicked at someone's nuts: Yes, possibly. M'sians like to litter, u know?
PS: I do know what nuts mean


Attachment 8: Age You're Hoping to...

Get Married: 28 'cause it has been ingrained into my head by my dad

Get a child: 29?

Get into a relationship: stop rubbing it in! Maybe 23 at the latest


Attachment 9: What You Were Doing

A Minute Ago: Answering stupid ass questions

An Hour Ago: flipping channels over and over and over...

Nine Hours ago: sleeping like a log

A Month Ago: Economics Exam

A Year Ago: Working hard to get into Uni


Attachment 10: Finish The Sentences

I love: the sky? My family, my friends, my dog and the cockroach by the roadside

I feel: cynical

I hate: being restless

I hide: what I really wanna do

I miss: my friends... like crazy


Attachment 11: Tag Other People
I don't wanna torture anyone else... but feel free to do it if u're as bored as I am

when caring stings you

I can't really blog to update ppl on what I have been up to but I blog to let things out.

Just came across an old poem I wrote.

The Wounded Soul
Fountains of tears flow through my heart,
I move through life like a doll,
Only responding but not comprehending.

My heart is a miss,
My thoughts are of past bliss.
Eversince you went away,
I never slept a day;
I thought my heart would heal,
But the cracks have not sealed.

All I think of is you,
But you are ignorant;
You never realised my patience,
How my every gift to you is a part of me.

Oh, please someone seal my heart,
Oh, please someone heal my wounded soul.
This pain is etched inside,
The pain I try to hide.

It comes from within me,
Stabbing the fragile walls of my heart,
Making it bleed...
Making it scream out in pain...
With none to hear it,
As it suffers hidden from the world.

I sob by myself,
like a doll;
Moving past empty walls,
Hoping someone would hear these calls,
And open the door to let me in,
Let me in to somewhere safe,
Where I will feel no pain,
Endure no hurt,
Suffer no grief.
Somewhere I can stay in comfort,
Free from the evil of the world.

I've found a way to overcome that. I think.
(The method actually relates to the fact of how WC takes Kai as his religion... I totally get what he meant. Sometimes you just really need someone in your life to remind you of your principles and qualities.)

Anyways, this poem brought me back to the past and I realised... everytime I hurt was because I cared too much. It may be a quality to be caring, yet at the same time... it hurt so bad sometimes I felt like I couldn't even breathe.

Reading the poem made me feel like a soft-shelled crab. Where I seemingly have an armour to protect myself but truthfully it can be bitten through and my insides torn out.

Do YOU have something you thought was a quality of yours but yet brings shit up when you can't seem the draw the line?

~anti-social + non-good-friend mode~

M'sia... Hot and sweaty but it's still home

Ahh.. tis been a week since I arrived back home in M'sia. I must say that I have done nothing but plan to get out of my house.

HAHHAA! No, not really. I'm not that bad.

So, Sunday was a very enjoyable celebration of Kai's birthday. Somehow, I was put to the task of purchasing a birthday gift for her. Erhem... kinda ended up enjoying the sales that I bought a whole bunch of new clothes for myself too. For a perfect illustration of Kai's 18th birthday (very significant in M'sia :D) please view Michelle's blog which reaccounted the event absolutely wonderfully!

Right after that was the Ipoh trip with the Teddies. It was all about the food ok? Don't ask us "what is there to do in Ipoh?". 'Cause there was absolutely nothing to do but eat and sleep and talk to our hearts' content! :D Another reaccount of that ... Qi Hong's blog :D

Friday was another day of Teddies... our Badminton courts got screwed over by the assholes at Jaya Square, as usual. So we waited around till we got a court. Unfortunately, I didn't manage to get my only day's worth of exercise for the week as I had to rush back to meet up with my cousin then I packed and went over to stay overnight at her place.

Saturday was Singapore day. Why? 'Cause we got tickets to watch Christina Aguilera! I must say, she has really strong vocals and watching her live is absolutely unbelievable at some points. My uncles brought binoculars and somehow watching Christina through binoculars makes one even more amazed with her singing. Her dancers were really awesome too! Every move so precise and sharp. Their energy for the entire 2 hours never even flatered for once in the entire show. However, it is not the kind of concert where you can really jump and down like a crazy person. It was a performance, it was a show to watch and be blown away by.

Despite the great show she put on, I must say there was a part where I found it kinda creepy. It was when they put up a short clip of Christina's "evolution" and her fans telling her how much they love her. It kinda felt like hypnotism as the background music continously repeated her name "Christina... Christina....". Feeling hypnotised yet? Woooo~ (yes, lame... I know >.<)

Got back from Singapore y'day and now im just dead bored. Im playing the 2 "Step up" songs that Kai so kindly sent to me. It's on repeat. So, yes... Im going a bit crazy but they are both great songs to dance to! Maybe to fill up my free time I should just attempt to follow the moves from that movie. HAHAHA! Sif.. im not that good...

Yeah.. im just talking to myself now.

Ok. Want a confession from the almost-done-with-teenage-years-teenager? I am confused about who I am now. I used to hold my principles so highly. I used to know what is right and wrong. Now, I feel like I should go out there and take more chances. But what chances?

I wonder how my personality protrays off the new friends I have made. I wonder if it's different from what I am like at home. I wonder if I need to meet more people... I wonder whether I'm stuck in a bubble that I need to get out of.

Once Karen told me how it's so different to be overseas and now I understand what she meant. Who am I now? Where do my principles lay? "Somehow, that line between right and wrong has blurred".