Okay, I am in Chengdu, China now. It has been cold and my body has been pretty awesome. My body clock wakes me at 650am. And being WIDE AWAKE, I tend to pass time doing sit-ups or get down on the stone cold floors and hit some push-ups. Not exactly a workout but imagine doing 2 reps of 10 in 4 degrees C, your fats have met its FATE!
I'll collectively use this post to update 6 days worth of material. But no worries. It's not that lengthy. OR IS IT?!
March 9th came. Went home at 1am or something. My old classmates of year 1, i assumed, tried to stall me as long as they could KNOWING full well that my flight is in the following morning at 8am. But I packed and all with 4 hours of sleep to spare. Booyeah to that!
Departing at 1040, one can only imagine the immense sense of tense that runs through my veins. However, you will be surprised. As calm, as though nothing happened.
Being a first time traveller, my only experience of airports and planes and departures come from the movie Up in the Air. Not exactly a top choice for source but hey, at least it's worth watching! I don’t know, the notion of “check-in” 2 hours before and linger around the airport seems a bit flawed. Why wonder around aimlessly when in actual fact, you can just board 10 minutes before departure? It just struck me. Like for example, the MRT! It’s the same concept right?!
As fast as I questioned it, I got my answer. Somehow, someway, when you are leaving your temple of comfort or your place of originality or basically leaving something near your heart, time just moves fast. Like a survivor of the recent Japan tsunami, he recalled that the earthquake that preceded was a rigorous shake of 2 minutes but it definitely felt longer than that. And 2 hours felt like 2 minutes in my case.
And it’s for the better good I say. The more you stay grounded, the more chances of seconds thought. Haha.
Well, definitely the same concept could work on THE FLIGHT ITSELF. 4 hours I sat beside my EM3A lecturer. the only conversations I could bring up was how Math was a bitch to me. LOL. In-flight entertainment is yuck. Food makes me wanna throw up. AND OMFG, THE PLANE IS DAMN NOISY. Though Discovery Channel's Air Crash Investigation did not offer any comfort when turbulence came. But overall, it's a-okay. not biggie of a deal.
Landed. The cold weather is nothing compared to the Alps. Just put yourself in NP’s library or in you air-conditioned room and bingo! You get 18 degrees of freezing solitude. Worst still, sweaty palms and feet just makes your hand feeling as it dipped in water. GAH.
I’ll be spending most of my time in the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China. It’s a mouthful because it is and the campus is FRIGGIN’ huge. It has about 24,000 students in hostels. It has multiple Makan Place sized canteens, a shopping centre, a pub, a karaoke bar, 2 stadiums, a garden, a man-made pond, a library that reminds me of the Power Ranger’s Megazord. It’s just big. In fact, you see bicycles everywhere and that is the main transport of students around the campus! IT’S THAT BIG!!! And that was Day 2. How UESTC boasted their sheer size.
All I hoped was that I survive. My previous classmates who went before me described a horrendous experience of the living quarters. Especially when SEBASTIAN NEO instils fear every dang time he meets me! ASS. So KX, my room mate and I was stocking up on instant noodles, basic necessities like rages hand soap and all. LIKE WE PREPARING FOR A WINTER LOCK-DOWN. But still not enough. Bah.
Muslim food is fair here. Sebas says the Muslim store I frequent recycles it food. I say YOU GO TO HELL. And anyway, it's kinda good!
But it’s not too bad actually. My other male bunk mates went GAGA on shopping here. Day 3 for Chengdu is like introducing their Orchard Road/ Bugis Street/ Toa Payh equivalent. Haha. Everything there is what I can get in Singapore. BUY FOR WHAT?!
Day 4 is well, just Day 4. SUNDAY GO BAR. HAHA. No really.
One thing though, should have packed more. More canned food. More clothes, sweaters actually. But nothing can prepare us 100%. And studying here seems a bit easier. Without hawks hovering over my every move, there's no room for naggy parents. Also means there is no room for procrastination when you're 2,000 miles away!
Besides, company here is cool. Especially with you. :)
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