Reminiscing

I am a very lucky girl to be surrounded by great individuals who are supportive and provides me with comfort and companion when I need them. I am always thankful for their presence in my life. Even though some of us are miles apart from each other, separated by work/ studies, knowing that they are safe, healthy and doing well is enough comfort for me. They are a constant inspiration and motivation for me to be a better person.

My Girls (From top left) – Anne, Abby, Carolyn

From 1 Amanah SMK Seafield, we stuck together through thick and thin, break-ups and make-ups. I remember how we skipped classes by abusing our “power” and innocent facade; helped each other to check out our crushes when they walked past; encouraged each other during down times. These girls taught me Cantonese and never ceased to make fun of my pronunciation. Anne is the perfectionist and a high achiever completing her final year in NTU, Singapore. Abby is the quirky one doing well in graphic designing. Finally, Carolyn, the smart and truly innocent one is studying Pharmacy at Monash University, Melbourne. I love them and I hope for nothing but the best for them.

Bhakti

I know this guy for as long as I know the girls. I was the prefect in charge of “supervising” his class and he teased me about my crush. Bhakti is the funniest, most animated kid around. At 21, he is still a child at heart. Always have a funny story to tell, this guy has the ability to turn the most boring conversation into a skit on Saturday Night Live. He is probably the only Mauritian who can’t swim. Ask him about me and he will tell you how he had a hard time keeping track of my dating life. He is a budding engineer at UNSW and drops by Melbourne occasionally. I am excited to catch up with him when I drop by in Sydney next month.

Girl from Taylor College – Sara, Xiao, Sharon

You girls look stunning in this picture, especially Xiao – just like a character out of an Austen novel 🙂 I know Sara from our Seafield days. We work well as a team. I met Xiao and Sharon in A Level English Literature class. We cracked Shakespeare, that-crazy-feminist-drama and Geoffrey Chaucer together. I can never forget our breaks and revision sessions at the long table in Starbucks SS15. Sharon does not like the sun, Xiao is the artistic one and Sara is feisty, despite being small in stature. The girls are all around the world too, with Sara recently departed for Reading, UK to complete her law degree. Xiao is at Emerson College, Boston doing a creative writing degree and Sharon is in her 2nd year of BA degree at Melbourne University. They are intellectuals and I have no doubt they will have great achievements in the near future. p.s. Xiao I still keep the bookmarks you made and the card you got me from Japan.

My Friday 9am Asia Cafe mates (from top left) – Dominic, Kuhan, Debbie

We are the non-math people. So while our other classmates were in Math class, we had breakfast at Asia Cafe. Such good times. Dominic is the quiet guy with a unique accent who joined the rest of us in A Level after completing his high school studies abroad UK. Kuhan is the guy who loves horses, cars and girls. He is protective over me like a big brother. Deborah is the little devil, despite her goody-two-shoes appearance. Kuhan hated my ex’s guts and teased him endlessly during our breaks. It was so funny I laughed till I cried. All three of them are in UK now. Dear Debbie recently departed for Reading as well, Dominic is at Warwick and Kuhan…I think he is at Glasgow or London? p.s. Debbie, I don’t think I can complete our little “mission”. He is graduating soon.

Nicholas

The last of his breed, Nicholas is everything a girl can wish for: Patient, understanding, kind and generous. I know this guy through Xiao and through common breaks and lunches. He is a fun-loving guy and so patient when it comes to accompanying Sara and I to shop. This guy is usually soft-spoken, but his inner Sasha emerges when he is on stage debating with his moot opponents. He is charismatic and I wish the future lawyer all the best in Reading 🙂

Alex and Marcus

They are my close mates in Melbourne, like a surrogate family. Alex was my housemate and lives 5 minutes away from my house back in Malaysia. I know Marcus through Alex. They’re good people who provide me with comfort and company when I need. They are also my lab rats (especially Alex) when I decide to concoct a cooking experiment. Memories of them revolve around clubbing, going on road trips and midnight hang outs at the weirdest places chatting. Marcus taught me poker and helped me win my first (and only) $10 in casino. Both RMIT engineering students, they lament essays and would come to me for proofread. Alex is the most neat and tidy guy I ever met while Marcus is…a little messy. But they both make my days in Melbourne more bearable.

Thao (Jasmine)

She is like the big sister I never had. Having seen more than I have seen, she gives some pretty good advice. I only known her for a bit more than a year, but she is warm and open from the moment I met her. Call it fate, perhaps. She taught me to let down my hair a little and have some fun. One of the nicest and generous person I ever met with a good nature, I have learnt a lot from her. She got me to stop swearing (in my defence, I was going through a phase :P) and took care of me when I needed her. My shopping mate, she also taught me how to find bargains 😉

Steven

My boyfriend. I know him through Jasmine and we hit it off instantly. He is very supportive and brings out the best in me. Despite coming from different cultures, we get along really well. He showed me a different side of the world and makes me appreciate what I have. He is also the inspiration for me to get my first paid job and internship. Life in Melbourne is more colourful now with him around. He is more mature than I am, so he guides me and encourages me when I am at the point of giving up. He is not perfect, nor am I. He always tries his best to give me the best he can and I appreciate everything he has done for me. He makes me happy and I hope we will always be happy.

I have saved the most important people for the last…

My family

I love them, and I know they love me. If everyone turn their back on me, I know I can turn to my family. Anytime. Unconditional love. We are a close unit and we are a happy family. I have such good times with them and I miss them all the time. They are most supportive of my decisions but they are also very honest with their criticisms. My family have my best interest at heart and my parents, especially, always make sure I am in line. Thanks to them, I am who I am today. My siblings are the best. They get on my nerves, but they are the only ones who put up with my occasional burst of weird doings. For that, I love them.

These people made me the person I am today. Without them, I won’t be who I am today. I am grateful for having such positive influences in my life. Best wishes to each and every one of you! xoxo